I have a very poor memory so I am jotting down some lovely scenes while I can remember.

T-minus 21
We started instilling in her the importance of going to school weeks prior to her first day of school. Everyday, I tell her what she will do at school, what time she must get up, what time she must leave for school, the importance of wearing a mask at school, and so on, so that she can be mentally prepared.

T-minus 1
We drove outside the school and told her that this is where she will be coming tomorrow and showed her the environment outside the school. She excitedly said yes, she wants to go to school. We also accompanied her to go to bed earlier at night so that she can wake up early the next day.

DAY 1
Usually, she doesn’t get up until about 10.30am but today, she was the first to get up at 7.00am. We were worried that she would stay in bed and refuse to go to school. We got her dressed up and we headed out. We didn’t prepare breakfast for her because the school included breakfast and lunch, but we were afraid that she would not be used to eating by herself after being used to getting fed at home by us. We were worried that she would come home hungry.

As soon as she arrived at the school gate, she cried, asking her father to carry her and refused to come down. We coaxed her the best we could, but it still didn’t work and it made us very worried. I guess this is what separation anxiety feels like. We took her to the door of the classroom and we had to leave.

We were very worried that day, but the teacher sent us pictures of her at school, so we were kept up to date with her mood and situation. She just kept crying, refused to join new friends, and wouldn’t eat by herself. Fortunately, the teacher was very patient and fed her.

We looked at the photos and saw that her eyes were red and swollen from crying and she was struggling. But we know, children have to grow up and have to learn new things.

After school, we picked her up. Seeing us from far, her tears began to flow again. Really sad! She ran to her father’s arms from afar, crying that she would not go to school tomorrow.

Day 2
She got emotional early in the morning and didn’t want to go to school. But we insisted on sending her to school. Just like the first day, it was hard to be apart from her.

The teacher also sent the photos, but today she cried less and she started to participate in class. I can only say that the child’s ability to adapt is really top-notch, but the teacher said that she still refuses to eat by herself and needs to be coaxed and fed by the teacher.

I went to pick her up after school, and she said with a happy face that she had painted a beautiful picture and wanted to give it to her grandparents. As soon as I got home, I couldn’t wait to find her painting in her school bag, which turned out to be a picture of a flower. This picture is very warm, and it immediately makes me feel that the child has grown up! I thought you were just a baby, and now you are already 3 years old.

Day 3-4
Weekend.

Day 5
We thought to ourselves, after two days at home, will history repeat itself?
She still cried when she went out in the morning, and she asked us to bring her beloved bunny to school as well. When we got to school, we still needed to take her outside the classroom door, and the teacher escorted her to take off her shoes, and the teacher helped her put her shoes on the shoe rack.

The teacher didn’t send me photos today, so I took the initiative to ask the teacher for them. To my delight, she has started eating lunch by herself! She also made a new friend and they were reading books together.

Back home, she was very tired and slept all afternoon. After waking up, she said she wanted to eat dinner by herself. She said “I could eat by myself”. We were so amazed! Even though it was a mess, it was a sight we never imagined happening so soon – she was eating by herself.

Day 6
This morning, she kept saying that she did not want to go to school, but when she got to school, she held the teacher’s hand, followed the teacher into the school, walked outside the classroom, took off her shoes by herself, and then let the teacher put the shoes on the shoe rack.

She didn’t cry anymore!

Seeing her being so strong, I had to be too. I didn’t ask the teacher for a photo today, but instead, when I picked her up from school, I asked the teacher about how she was behaving. The teacher said that she spoke very softly, she loves food and has a good appetite, finishing every meal!

I was really happy to hear that she is making such great progress which made me more at ease.

Day 7
Just like the past few days, she still has a separation routine before going to school. But today, she took off her shoes, put them on the rack, and walked into the classroom by herself.

After school, she happily said that she would make butterfly sandwiches with her cousin this weekend for everyone to eat because she made them herself at school and she must make one for everyone.
My heart was full of joy; this is my daughter!

Day 8 -14
In the past few days, apart from staying in bed in the morning, she was reluctant to go to school, and occasionally still cries, but there were no major problems. Now, she occasionally walks into the school holding the teacher’s hand without looking back. It’s definitely a good thing, but suddenly it feels like she doesn’t need us anymore, and I had mixed feelings about this.

One day, she also brought 3 cupcakes back to her grandparents. It turned out that the cupcakes were also baked by her at school. Amazing!

She no longer needs to take the bunny with her, she has learned to eat by herself and even started to potty train. When she got home, she could even sing Chinese songs! It’s only been two weeks; how can it be so different!

【in conclusion】
I have always been worried about the pandemic and was reluctant to send my children to school. But if you choose the right school, you will definitely have a peace of mind even in such a situation. In my daughter’s school, the teachers take care of them very well. Every Sunday, parents will be asked to do self-tests, and the school will be disinfected regularly. Before entering the school every day, temperature is taken, and the children’s mouths, hands, and feet are checked.

I found that after school, the biggest difference is that my daughter’s social skills have improved. Since she has been at home throughout the pandemic, she is very afraid of new things. In addition, her learning ability has also become better. To my surprise, she even told me, “I love you, mommy”. This is something I seldom hear because she has always regarded me as a rival in love.

There is nothing wrong with sending 3-year-olds to school, they learn by having fun and having experienced teachers teach them to make them better.