Iman's First Few Days In School

Day 12 - all smiles!

Yesterday was Day 12 of Iman's primary schooling. Dropped him off near the big gate (there's 2 gates, one is the main gate, bigger where cars can pass thru while the other is specially for students, covered, connecting the canteen to the bus stop so the kids can still walk dry during rainy days and walk under shade during sunny days - Iman prefer the main gate somehow.. layan je lah).

'Dropped' here means after pulling the handbrake and setting the gear to P, I still need to get off from the car and sent him until we were inside the gate. He waved goodbye (after my usual drill - don't cry, big boys doesn't cry anymore, be careful with your money, make sure you pack all your books yada yada yada.. told ya am one pathethic mother) and after a few steps, he turned back and shouted at me 'I love you Ummi'. Owhhhh. How can I not love you back Iman? Even if you don't, I'd still do.

Pretty easy huh?

Well, you haven't read about his first and second week. I was depressed, tensed, hurt, broken hearted. I even got 2 huge zits on my cheeks! (Yes! I finally have something to put the blame on for growing such big ugly zits.. hurmpp)

First week, 3rd day (Wednesday), around 3.15pm, my SIL (whose boy also in Year 1 in the same school, we live in the same area, along the same road) called informing us she saw Iman cried during recess in the canteen. He seemed to be looking for someone (undoubtedly me), looked so frustrated not finding me and later had problem opening his blueberry roll. He ended up crying. SIL consoled him and sent him back to his class after recess. I was breaking hearing that.

The 'tragedy' didn't end there. I was supposed to pick him up after school. Our meeting point was the canteen. Then it struck me, maybe he thought I'd be waiting for him during break. My SIL said he was crying standing at the very spot I told him to wait for me, after school, not during break. Then the bell rang, kids rushed out. I couldn't find him. Wildly scanned the canteen area and I thought my heart almost skipped some beats when I heard him cried. I can't describe how he looked. Frustrated, as if I have betrayed him. His face was read and I couldn't even talk any sense into him. For good 10-15 minutes I just stood there hugging him tightly while he cried his heart out. My heart was broken. Thing was, he went to the gate to find me and not the canteen. Lucky thing he came back to the canteen and not wandering further from the school. Nau'zubillah.

First week, 4th day (Thurday). During break time, someone called me, asking if Iman is my son. Iman cried in the canteen and as if it was the most natural thing to do, he sat on that 'someone's lap. She (that someone was a female) told me that she's been seeing Iman crying since Monday there. I politely thanked her, asking if she could send Iman back to his class. I had intended to go to see how he was doing but Tebby stopped me. If I had gone that day, Iman would've expected me the next day. And the thing will go on and on. So I didn't. But my spirit gone. And I could feel desperation started to build up in me.

Later that day, I made a call to my ex-officemate, Iffah, whose daughter happens to be in Year 1 as well and her daughter (Najwa) and Iman had attended the same kindy some years back. I asked for some favour, if it was ok for Najwa to accompany Iman during break. Alhamdulillah, my friend agreed and said she'd tell Najwa so. After picking him up, I asked Iman why he cried. He said he brought his roll and water bottle during break and searched for me right up to the gate and when he couldn't find me, he cried.

First week, 5th day (Friday). After getting feedback via FB, I sent him a little earlier than usual. Tried coaxing him to walk on his own from the canteen. He went 4-5 steps forward and started to cry. I then took sometime telling his what to expect throughout the day. Where to line up, to go to canteen during break and do not expect me there. To eat and not cry. And that I'd wait for him after school and not during break under a tree near the gate.

Finally, 5th day, no more crying. Alhamdulillah. Syukran Ya Allah. He even spent his RM2 that day. Thanks to Najwa for helping us easing the matter. And thanks to that little bribe as well. A combiner transformer. With 5 small robots combined, a big one is created. Little bribe won't spoil much eh? Or shall we call it, reward?

Tho I think I had tough time with Iman, some were even worse than me. Imagine for 4 straight days, a boy cried loudly refusing to go into his class, lying and rolling near the drain in tears. On 5th day, as if someone had cast some magic on him, he was all smiles! I asked the mother. The tips was 'Ayah dia kata kalau nangis2 lagi, ayah belasah dengan rotan!' *gasp!*

Another boy, as if getting a passed baton, started crying and refusing staying in class. He went right up to the gate searching for his father, mother, sister or whoever one of them that had sent him earlier. Once I stopped him, fearing he might go out from the gate before a teacher came to the rescue.

Tho I envy some other parents who could just leave their kids at the gate since day 2 or 3, I am still thankful that I am luckier from some other parents.

I have things to complaint about how school handled things and the students, particularly the Year 1 and the attitudes of some teachers. To me, the first few weeks should be a happy, motivating weeks for the students and not the confusion as to where to line up (imagine 1000++ students trying to figure out where to line up when there was not even a single signage whatsoever) or how hot it was standing under the sun while the teachers went all chatty under the corridors and air-condition-ed rooms and later was 10-15 minutes late fetching the kids who were burnt under the sun.

Puking oredi? I haven't even started on Iman's 2nd week yet! It's my blog anyway right. If you feel like puking, go puke somewhere else k.

Short one, promise.

2nd week saw a big improvement. I thought it was gonna be hard but alhamdulillah Allah made it easy for me. I coaxed Iman to walk on his own from the gate and he agreed! With one condition, mesti main gate. Whichever my dear as long as you agree. Not forgetting to mention here, some more little bribe.. er... reward. If he can do it, on 5th day, another robot. Alhamdulillah, without hesitation, happily walking to his class (under my eagle-like supervision that is). Once I saw his walking off track (would still lead to his class anyway), he came back to the point where he started and resumed walking along the usual track). On the 3rd day, he already claimed his rewards. A 'lugnut' this time. Go google for image. A hole in my pocket but I have a big smile on my face.

Initial hurdles passed albeit not so gracefully. I still have a long way to go and loads to do. Allah please grant me the strength. Amin.