Going to school - the transformation

Nantu started school in the first week of July. It has been four full months.. and my what trasnformation!!

Before we go further on this topic, a bit about Nantu. Nantu was an extrovert and would talk to every single person on the road... till he turned 2. A month or two after he turned 2, he started to exhibit shyness. Neddless to say I was confused! I have always been an extrovert, I found it very hard to relate to a shy kid who suddenly had seperation anxiety, wouldnt talk to adults (strangers or not), would play with kids outside and in his home, but took time unwinding to play in their homes. I decided he needed to go to school.

In April I first visited this private school in my area. Needless to say it was a lot expensive than the other schools here, but I felt this might be good for Nantu given his shyness. I took a tour in April when He spotted some fun toys and asked if we could stay longer! However, we couldnt start him on school till july, due to many reasons. Meanwhile, Nantu grew shy-er... In June a couple visited us and it took us 15 minutes to get him to look at their face even. I was really worried! Ofcourse a half day later, he was yapping away with them like they were his bosom buddies! But still I was really upset about this, and decided "School right away".

I took him to school for the first time in the first week of July. I stayed there for the first half hour, when Nantu played with some toys, and actually befriended another little guy ! However when it was time for me to leave, he started bawling.... and continued to do that till I went back to pick him up. He did this for a month. He would refuse to get ready, bawl all the way to school, when I left him and all through the day. He would refuse to sit and listen to the stories, not play in the playground, he wouldnt eat a single morsel. I was exasperated! But I continued to take him to school every morning (he went only 3 days a week) and pick him up every afternoon. His teachers were really nice about this. They would sometimes take him out of the classroom and let him play on his own - in the school bus, in the director's office. He seemed to like that better! Slowly he stopped crying all day.

He would cry when I left him in school and would still refuse to get up in the morning saying "Its leave today!!". I would worry that my son has such an aversion to school. Ofcourse my friends added fuel to the fire saying that kids usually love school and want to go to school. And tell me about bitter experiences in private schools. Still I kept at it.

Slowly he stopped crying, but would not play with the other kids, and would hang out with the teachers all day. Then he slowly ventured away from the teachers and would play by himself. Next he would play with the kids, but not talk to them at all. He refused to answer their questions. Meanwhile he had started tasting the food too.

Now four months later my son gets up in the morning and is eager to go to school. I hand him his drink and tell him you need to finish that if you want to go to school. He not only plays with the other kids but talks with them nineteen to a dozen and comes home to tell me the tales.

Last Friday, I needed to take him to the doctor in the morning. He kept asking me "Can I go to school after this please?". I took him to school after the visit, he ran in and proceeded to play with his friends without even bidding bye-bye to me. On weekends , tuesdays and thursdays he is in tears "Amma there is school today, I need to go". I breathe a sigh of relief!

He has also started interacting with outsiders more. He still is not an extrovert, but he smiles and nods instead of talking. He will say hello and bye and thank you to all our friends. Thats a first step!!

Four short months.. and what a transformation!! yay!!