My little girl Haana goes to elementary school for Kindergarten on Monday. Can't believe where time has flown by. And I still remember the day I got back from the hospital with a little baby, and I was showing her the house. And now she's all ready to go to a big elementary school. Cool as a cucumber, she's actually looking forward to the new, big school. I am alone in my misery of time fleeting too soon, and my little girl going on to another big milestone of her life, away from me.
Earlier in the summer, little Miss Haana had tested for what the school district calls LEAP program - for exceptionally gifted child. LEAP, an acronym for Leading Exceptional Academic Producers, is a self-contained program for the exceptionally gifted child. I was on the fence for the testing. My little girl is the most wonderful, amazing person. She is exceptional in her command on the language; written, spoken and reading. She was speaking full sentences when she was 2 years old. She's tenacious, and even though I die inside when someone (other than me) says something mean to her, she has an inner strength that is otherwise called a somewhat-thick-skin. I know her strengths, I know her weaknesses. She is one of the most amazing persons I know. Even though she's a little thing, she has a BIG personality.
For none of the above, do I need a school or a board or a test to tell me how my daughter is. Part of my hesitation with school is to let an institution and teachers and other kids be able to tell her what she is and is not. I do realize, most of that is not avoidable. As a parent my job is not to solve everything for her or to have her in a perfect environment. But to encourage her to question, and evaluate for herself. It is easier said than done. We decided to have her test for the program primarily to keep her challenged at school. There were 2 rounds of 3.5 hour tests, from where little Miss Haana would come out prancing like a butterfly in a garden of flowers. All our questions about "What was asked" came back with vague useless answers. I had prepared her "portfolio", a folder of some of her work in and out of the Montessori. The children who get tested for this program, and who qualify for GT level, get specialized instructions/classes in their home schools. Then, the children who qualify for a higher LEAP level, are admitted to the LEAP school specifically for exceptionally gifted kids. The result came out late summer and little Miss Haana had been deemed exceptionally gifted and is one of 9 children selected this year for the Kindergarten class at the LEAP school. We are proud parents.
School begins from this coming Monday, so, I decided Miss Haana and I will spend some quality mom and daughter time this Friday. We started our Friday lazily, playing Deep Diver video game that looks like it was created at least 30 years back, in bed. Laughing, giggling, screaming whether the diver was getting all the gold coins or was being eaten by the red octopus. Finally, we got out of bed, and got ready. We headed for brunch to Original Pancake House for some pancakes and strawberry syrup. It was a beautiful day, unusually pleasant for late august here. We headed to park. We first went to a small park at the historical district with gazebos, arched walk ways, quaint little benches under shaded trees. Then we headed to another small park with a playground, with swings overlooking a canal with small bridges and winding pathways, trees perfect for climbing, slides. I hung out on a tree branch while watching little Miss Haana make friends with other kids. Soon we were both thirsty and I knew it was time to move on to the next activity for the day. We headed first to a gas station and got us a bottle of orange juice, and then headed to the movie theater to watch the new movie - Leap - about a young orphan girl with a dream of becoming a ballet dancer. Little Miss Haana loved the movie, she was getting off her chair and showing me the various ballet positions and moves for much of the movie!
Friday was also the day for the new school's meet and greet parents and teachers night. We headed to the school later that evening with dad too. It was a mad house! I found myself smirking "Welcome to the Jungle" to myself. It was a big school (big in comparison to the small Montessori the little girl has been going to). We met her teacher, and found her desk at the classroom with her name already on it. I asked Miss Haana, the chair next to her was empty, if I should join her at school too. It's a big school, and surely they can accommodate 1 more student in their class. Miss Haana politely refused. We received lots of flyers, information, other parents got introduced, forms got filled. And finally we came out full of wonder, excitement, fear, controlled panic and pride.
We headed for dinner where we ran into friends of ours' (and Miss Haana's) we hadn't met in sometime. We had dinner together while the girls played, and finally headed home. It was good day. I'm still not ready for Monday. But that's just me!
