Ever since Anika was young, she liked reading and writing already. Na-train kasi ng husto ni Nangnang Faye niya who's a preschool teacher.
This is the reason why I never expected to happen etong ikukwento ko sa inyo ngayon.
Last Tuesday morning, on my way to work, I received a call from a crying Anika.
ANIKA: NANAYYYYY!!! I'm so sad! I'm crying because I'm so sad!!!
ME: Why are you sad anak?
ANIKA: Tatay won't let me watch TV!
ME: Why?
ANIKA: I don't know! Wahhhh! You talk to Tatay!
ANIKA: TATAY!!!! NANAY WANTS TO TALK TO YOU!!!!
ALVIN: Babe?
ME: Bakit umiiyak?
ALVIN: Ayaw daw niya pumasok gusto manood lang ng TV.
ME: Sige kausapin ko.
ANIKA: Yes Nanay?
ME: Anika, you have to get ready for school already. I can't watch TV because you might get late for school.
ANIKA: But I don't want to go to school anymore Nanay! I don't want to!!!
Patay tayo diyan.
My three year old nursery baby does not want to go to school anymore! I wasn't expecting this from her this early ha. Parang gusto ko tuloy umiyak.
Where did I go wrong?!
Anika didn't go to school na talaga that day. Ayaw. No matter how Alvin forced her to.
What Alvin did na lang daw was not to let her watch TV the whole day. As in the whole day.
I received a call from her again later in the afternoon. She was crying again.
ANIKA: Nanay! I'm still so sad!!! Ate Ellen doesn't let me watch TV!
ME: Because anak you didn't go to school. If you don't go to school, no TV for you the whole day.
ANIKA: Nooooooo!!!! I want TV!!!
ME: Anika, why don't you want to go to school?
ANIKA (in between hiccups): Because... Because... Because Ate Ellen will leave me.
Ayun na. It was then I realized why she didn't want to go to school anymore.
Anika attended progressive schools for her toddler classes. Ibang iba talaga there because in a progressive school, they don't force kids to do things that they don't like. In short, maluwag. However, here at Anika's nursery school, traditional siya. Bawal talaga ang yaya. They are made to sit down and do things.
I think baka na-culture shock ang Anika. She needs to adjust pa talaga.
That or it's really early for 3 years old kids to start normal schooling based on the K-12 program.
When Anika saw my car later that day when I got home, she positioned herself on the steps of our front door.
Naupo dun. Nakasandal. Umiiyak kuno.
ME: Why are you crying Anika?
ANIKA: Because they didn't let me watch TV today Nanay.
ME: Come here, I'll talk to you.
I brought her inside our room. I made her sit on our bed and I sat down facing her.
ME: Anika, I think you're watching too much TV. You have to go to school.
ANIKA: But I don't want to go to school. I want to watch TV, Nanay!
ME: Why? Why do you have to watch TV?
ANIKA: Because I want to watch Doctor Mc Stuffins, Pirates, Hi-5...
ME: But Anika, school is..
ANIKA (palm up in front of my face): Wait Nanay, I'm not yet done talking..
ME: Sorry..
ANIKA: I want to watch Disney Junior, Nickelodeon, Princess Sophia, Octonauts, Chuggington, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Oso, Timmy Time
Okay. Siya na. Siya na ang may memorize ng lahat ng shows sa Disney Junior.
I explained to her how important school was. I told her that she needs to go to school so that she can learn and not be like the children on the streets. I told her to go to school so that she can be a doctor someday. I told her if she won't go to school, Nanay will be very sad.
Ginamitan ko na 'teh ng emotional impact para sumunod.
Thankfully, she agreed and pinky sweared that she will go to school the next day already.
Hay salamat.
Sa sobra ko namang tuwa, I asked her to go with me to 7-11. I told her to pick what baon she likes. Ayun she was happy and excited to go to school the next day.
I wish tuloy tuloy na itech. Mahirap din pala.
Last night, I checked her workbooks when I got home. I saw this:
Galing di ba? I felt so proud! My little girl can do this already!
Please do share your tips =)
yay.. Ive been in this situation too, during Ivy's preschool days too. It happened, in the first day of school, nasa school na kami, then ayaw niya pumasok ng classroom,then i forced her, but she cried.Her teacher told me na kausapin ko muna daw. ayun inuto inuto ng konti, then Ok na.. haysss. hirap talaga minsan pag baby pa nag sstart ng school.
ReplyDeleteMy eldest kasi, my mom forced us to send her to school at 2 (playschool). Although she was generally okay, I felt it was too early. I wanted her to enjoy her childhood. I also noticed kasi nung sinaunang panahon, LOL! Nung '90s, late na sila magturo how to read. I remember my brother went to Casa, etc sa Montessori pero ako pa nagturong magbasa the summer before he turned 6.
ReplyDeleteSo the next ones, 4 na sila nagstart. A went straight to Kindergarten (but knew how to read 3-letter words and could sign the alphabet and some words) and RL, Nursery (4 na kasi start with K-12).
I miss you Mommy Fleur. Anyway, I did have fights with my then 5 year old pre-schooler, it was his first time in school din kasi last year. His class was from 08:00am to 11:30am, it was August 2012 when he started to have a hard time waking up in the morning, I have to drag him to the gate para lang pumasok, I said no excuses of not wanting to go to school. The whole school year almost ran that way, ayaw-bati kami, but I had to show him tough love. I encouraged him also to have fun in school, interact with his classmates, check with him how school was during office breaks, inspire him to learn more through bed time reading and answering questions kahit in the middle of doing something and after monthly and quarterly exams we reward him with a gift or we bring them out. And I also tell him how lucky he is na nakakapag-aral siya unlike other kids na gusto mag-aral pero hindi mapag-aral. Nagbunga naman, he finished 2nd honor at school last March and Grade 1 na siya ngayon. It's his turn to make pangaral of his younger brother na nasa preschool naman this year. God bless you and beautiful Anika :)
ReplyDeleteMuther, ako naman naiiyak na talaga because doesn't want to write. As in she doesn't want to to write at all :(
ReplyDeleteYes muther, at tulad ni Anika, TV din ang salarin. Pero ang daughter ko naman ay sa progressive school pa din nag-aaral. Well, semi-authoritative ako bilang walang pudrabelles sa balur (kawal ng bansa hihi). Kaya minsan, sorry siya she has to go to school --- ayaw niya man or gusto. At tama yung ginawa niyo na no TV the whole day. :)
ReplyDeleteFeeling ko, opinyon ko lang naman, hindi pa nga ready ang bagets sa traditional approach.
CAN RELATE!!! Taas ang kamay pati paa. Ayaw din ng baby boy ko magschool kasi ayaw nyang iiwan ko sya. Ang hirap lalo na pag maliligo sa umaga dahil ayaw nya ng maaga naliligo. hay! Maraming suhol na din ang nagawa ko dito maka 2 weeks lang sa school. Pag uwi itatanong nya kung no more school na ba tomorrow? Hay!
ReplyDeletecutting classes na yan mommy fleur para manood ng concert hahahahaha. dun ka maloka at baka makasalubong mo pa sa mall na nagshashopping din LOLOLOL! ^_^ ayos si anika baby.
ReplyDeleteLol natawa ako dito hehe
DeleteNakakatuwa talaga si Anika. Ganyan talaga Mommy Fleur, there are days na easy lang papasukin ang mga bagets meron naman days na talaga nga namang ubusan ng pasensya. I have a three-year-old din who attends nursery in a montessori school pero sa kanila first day pa lang, bawal na mga mommy at yaya. Kailangan lang talaga ng konting creativity at super haba ng patience kapag ganyan kabata pero I know na ang mga kids naman smart eh. Explain lang natin sa kanila magegets na nila. Basta, cherish the good days and be patient with not so good days. In time, ma-eenjoy din ni Anika ang school. God bless always!
ReplyDeletekalaban talaga nating mga parents ang TV, ano? pati na rin ibang gadgets. baka nga nag-aadjust pa sya sa traditional school... July pa lang naman eh, makukuha pa yan sa pakiusap, good girl naman si Anika eh :)
ReplyDelete3 years old din nag-start mag-aral ang baby girl ko. excited naman sya lagi pumasok at maaga natuto magbasa. may konting issue lang kami when it comes to writing (until now na Grade 2 na sya). left-handed sya eh. challenge yata talaga ang pagsusulat sa aming mga left-handed. madalas di natatapos ang pinapakopya ng teachers lalo na pag homework, so ilang beses na sya namamarkahan ng "no assignment". balak ko na nga makipag-text mate sa ibang parents eh para at least may mapagtatanungan ako ng homework nila. LOL
Before entering the prep school we had summer classes kaya di masyadong shock si kiddo pagpasok. And 2 weeks before the class starts, nagtrain na kami ng sleeping, watching, and study hours. It help us a lot kasi sinasabi ko na kaagad sa kanya, "Baby when the classes starts you'll be allowed to watch tv after school and then do your assignments," paulit ulit yun. The waking part ang struggle kaya ang technique namin, we let him take a bath first before eating breakfast para gising na sya. Sometimes he's asking if he could skip school and we kept on explaining him he can not. Then we give scenarios na some kids want to go to school but they can't because they don't have money to buy things like baon and school stuffs. (We let him watch documentaries from time to time and NO soap operas, EVER!) And last thing, tama si husband. Nung sinabi nyang 3 years old namin ipasok sa School si Denzel, kasi he is quite ready to interact with kids na that time. Tiyaga lang MommyFleur, you can make it. Anika is a smart girl, she will realize that it's for her own good. Patience lang. :) Get well soon!
ReplyDeleteTry to tell Anika she can't go shopping when she grows up if she don't go to school kasi hindi siya makakapagwork if she won't finish her schooling. Nanay,Babe and Wowa will never be around forever so paano na siya if that happens. It's weird, but it worked for us. (My son idolizes his dad, he wants to go to office daw when he grow up) Kaya kapag dumadating yung lazy days nya, ang drama namin, you can go to the office anymore kasi kami ni Papa we finished attending big school first before we could work. Hope it helps!
Araceli
ako ang problema ko with my 6yr old son ayaw nyang magsulat, kya nyang sumagot sa quizzes kasi yung ibang nasagutan nya tama pero pag sinumpong ng katamaran, ayaw ng ituloy, kaya ngayon no tv no psp policy kami sa bahay, hanggat di siya magsisipag. Problema siguro is kung pinasok mo yung bata sa non traditional for pre school tapos biglang transfer sa traditional for grade school, culture shock at habit shock ang kakalabasan.
ReplyDeletePersonally I think 3 years old is too early for kids to go to school. Kasi yang age na yan, gusto pa nilang maglaro ng maglaro. I believe that 4 years old is the best age to go to school.
ReplyDeleteeypolapol.tumblr.com
Personally I think 3 years old is too early for kids to go to school. Kasi yang age na yan, gusto pa nilang maglaro ng maglaro. I believe that 4 years old is the best age to go to school.
ReplyDeleteeypolapol.tumblr.com
Kering-keri mo yan Mommy Fleur! Sana mgkaroon si Anika ng friend/s sa classroom yung tipong mkpag paexcite sa kanya na pumasok everyday (barkada agad?) hehe. Or what if ifamiliarize muna sya ng husto sa school na yun. My 3 yr old boy naman na nasa kinder 1 ngayon kabaliktaran, sobrang familiar na kasi sya sa school nya dahil kuya nya doon din pumapasok. umiiyak kapag walang pasok. Feel na feel nya kasi mag uniform. 8-11am ang school nya pero hanggang gabi na nya suot ang damit. Papayag lang magpalit pero may kondisyon, dapat mgmumukha syang executive o kaya sundalo sa isusuot nya. I bought him necktie, eyeglass may gloves pa nga kapag soldier lang ang peg. He doesn' t want to call him sa pangalan nya kahit sa school. "Sir" lang daw ang dapat itawag sa knya. Nakakaloka talaga ang mga bagets. Hindi ka nag iisa ;-)
ReplyDeletehi MommyFleur, sooo can relate. may son is as old as Anika, we enrolled him also last yr pero after 3days ayaw nya na tlga at first he wants to play daw so i made him absent the next day tpos go to school again the next day, the next wala nanaman. after two weeks of trying and every other day lang mag school we decided not to continue na. this year dahil 3 pa naman sya and too early pa he is having galileo clases to enhance reading n math 2x a week and playtime na lang with other kids to enhance social skills. sabi nga ng parents namin wag na rin namin pilitin baka kami rin mag sisi pag nasa HS/colege na sya at ayaw na nya mag aral. puro cutting class. but to each is own... takot lang si Anika maiwan or ndi nya makita si yaya nya e. she's very smart and your lucky she still loves going to school :) or tama yung isang FB comment someone might be bullying her or the teacher is ignoring her. :) God bless always :)
ReplyDeletehi! missed your wentos and all. Know what, for me lang ito ha, I believe Anika is still at that age na gusto nya pa ng play, and watching TV. Hey, please don't get me wrong, my youngest laki sa panunuod ng tv at ndi naman basta kung anong shows. I am a hand on mom, wala akong maid, so I do everything dito sa house. So if most of the time my youngest watch TV and cds, composed of Barney, Hi-5, and Sesame Street cds, I allow her kasi matututo naman. Tapos pag I need to rest after doing my chores, sa tabi niya ako, para ma-guide ko. As a mom, ma-fefeel mo yan pag ready na siya. All of my 3 daughters, ahuh mother you read it right, 3. hahaha! went to school na mature na, meaning alam nila bakit sila papasok sa school and why parents or yayas are not allowed sa loob ng classroom. Mother, ito eh sa situation ko, but base sa mga wento mo, Anika is one intelligent and street smart kid. Siguro bata pa, kaya ganun. pero carry nya yan... good luck again ha... Pak!
ReplyDeleteRelate na relate! My heart breaks when i hear the teacher say stories of her kakulitan in school...doesnt behave, pati classmates kinukulit. She is 4 now and in kinder. First time din s school. She can read na and like anika she learned early. Ngtataka lng ako why she misbehaves in school when she is usually on her best behavior at home and sa labas. I feel like crying everyday knowing she is having a hard time in school. Madrama man pero i cudnt help but ask kung san ako ngkamali...my only consolation is that, i am not alone. It helps when you hear of other moms share their experiences. But just the same my heart is so sad :(
ReplyDeleteCan so relate! My daughter also used to go to a progressive school, when, we transferred her to a traditional school. My usual bubbly daughter suddenly became masungit and ayaw pumasok. as in, ayaw mag-lessons, tpos umiiyak. Ayaw nya iwan sya ng yaya nya sa schhol (eh the enw school doesnt like the yayas to stay in the school, compared to the playschool na puede iwan yung yaya sa school). Siguro mother's instict or what, alam ko something is wrong. My husband and I talked to her, ano problema. How come she doesnt like this new school. Ayaw magsalita. Basta sabi lng nya, she wants her old school (the progressive school) So, ginawa ko, pumunta ako sa school and asked that I observe their class. Dun ko napansin, iba interaction ng daughter ko. I also sensed na yung ibang kids, hindi din masaya. Iba kse set-up ng traditional school, compared sa progressive na parang play lng, plus individualized ang treatment ng teacher. The next week, pinull-out nmin daughter ko and returned her to the progressive school. Keber na sa tuition na nabayaran na namin sa traditional school. Ayun, slowly, my daughter regained back her confidence and loved going back to school ulit. She stayed in the progressive school until she reached Junior Kinder. She is now in CSA and she's in Senior Kinder. Akala ko, we will have the same issues (na ayaw nya pumasok, etc.), considering CSA is a traditional school. But no! Super excited ang daughter ko. Sa trolley bag pa lang and sa uniforms, excited na excited!
ReplyDeleteMy daughter also started school early. Pero yun nga, nung na-transfer lng nmin sya dun sa traditional school, dun lng sya hindi excited pumasok and would rather stay home, rather than go to school. Tapos, pag hinahatid pa nmin dati, mega iyak. Yun pala, it were cries for help na din. Kala nmin nag-iinarte lng. Yun pala, she was really not happy with that school and her teachers. Thank God for early intervention and mother's instincts! :)
Kaya, suggestion ko, Mommy Fleur, ask Anika. Talk to her. Ask also the school if you can observe, so you will know how the teachers and the classmates interact with Anika :)