Tessa's School

Tessa started preschool on September 8^th at the Wonder Center.  We found this school on our pre-trip in May and put her on the waiting list.  Divine intervention got her in.  This school is perfect for Tessa and the head teacher is an angel.  She is a lady who was born to work with kids.  She has turned her house into a magical preschool.  She sings all day long to the kids.  She is patient.  She genuinely loves each one of them.  She was meant to enter Tessa’s life.  I can’t even describe it.  When I pick Tessa up they have flour in their hair, paint on their clothes and hands, dirt on their knees and big smiles on their faces.

Tessa's first day of school

Tessa's first day of school (the aftermath)

Tessa learns through music and verbal cueing.  Tessa’s occupational therapist in MI said the program “Handwriting without Tears” was a must for Tessa and that is what this school uses.

BUT … this week Tessa has had a hard time going.  There are several teachers in the school; three that speak English to the kids, three that speak Chinese.  Tessa has MAJOR anxiety when the Chinese teachers speak to her.  She wants nothing to do with them or the language.  This week when I dropped her off at school she cried.  These are long days and a big adjustment for her.  The first cry was 45 minutes.  The next day she cried for an hour and was “hysterical and aggressive.”  Yesterday she cried for 15 minutes and today she cried for 5 minutes.  She is trying to be so brave.  It breaks my heart when she says, “Don’t leave mommy I love you too much.”  “When I don’t see you I can’t breathe.  I can’t take deep breaths without you.”  “I wish I was a fairy and could fly home to see you.”

Tessa’s strength is verbal!

My tears and frustration this week living in China have not been about air pollution, traffic, or the language barrier.  They have been about parenting.  Parenting four kids -- each with different strengths and weakness, each with different needs and desires, each showing their stress and happiness differently… I don’t feel like I have the answers.  We’ve said lots of prayers this week trying to figure out what is best for our kids.  They are doing well and we are proud of them.