Preschool Update

Zoya had her third day of preschool today! I think having her go once a week throughout the summer before "real" preschool starts is going to be great for her (and me). She had a tough day last week with some crying which just broke this mama's heart :( She was clingy and didn't want me to go, but I got her engaged in playing and said goodbye and left for a meeting at another location in the school and she seemed okay. When I walked past Zoya's class 45 minutes later to get something from my room (seriously...I really needed something from my room, I can prove it! LOL) I heard the unmistakable sound of Zoya crying. Apparently she was afraid of her chair at snack time. She has a thing about chairs that I've talked about before....basically its chairs when involved with food...she loves to eat but for some reason she gets terrified when she has to sit in a chair to eat....like when someone tells her she has to sit there, but she will do it on her own free will...strang.  We worked through the problem at home and its no longer an issue, so we gave the classroom staff a few strategies we use to help her through it and she had a MUCH better day today.  Good thing because last week I came home and cried and couldn't take seeing her so upset and I really prayed for peace for her today!  Zoya seems to have overall anxiety in new situations sometimes and with specific events/objects (like chairs paired with food....and artificial plants...haha its true).  Trying to figure her anxiety out is tricky because there are so many factors.....orphanage life (PTSD?), down syndrome, 3 year old behavior, etc. She has come a long way but we are still trying to find strategies that help her feel less stressed and anxious and preventing her from going past the point of no return with some of her fears and anxieties.

Shawn and I went on a breakfast date today since he didn't have to work until later and Zoya was in school!  It was strange to be out in daylight alone with my husband and no child!  During our "date," I got a call from one of the wonderful staff members...and I panicked because who calls to give good news? LOL. But it was great news and she told me Zoya was doing fantastic and sat in her chair for snack with no problems :)

When I picked her up today she saw me and got a huge smile and hugged me and wouldn't let me out of her sight! Then she saw her class walking back to the classroom and followed right along at the end of the line like a good little girl. I was so very proud of her...she did it with no prompting or anything.  I followed her back to her classroom and when I told her it was time to leave she parked herself in a CHAIR at a table and didn't wanna leave. Go figure! I'd rather see her not wanting to leave because she loves it so much rather than crying when I leave! We are so blessed with an amazing group of professionals who are involved in Zoya's preschool plan. They love her and are so good with her!