Changes

In September, before my son started kindergarten, I panicked about how he would do in the classroom. I was nervous for him, especially because he was extremely shy with other people, because he was stubborn, because he had never gone to daycare or pre-school, and because, well, he would be on his own for the very first time.

Now it is almost December, and the changes I see in him take my breath away. He spends a good part of the day, when he is home from school, singing not only the Canadian national anthem, but the Greek anthem, as well. He speaks so well for his age - and understands three different languages! The amount of words he speaks in French increase daily, and I think, at the rate he's going, he'll be able to teach me a thing or two by next year!

He has grown in many ways, not only in terms of his vocabulary, or in his ability to draw better (stick men! snowmen! squares!) write letters, numbers, and his name, but also in the way he acts around other people.

That is the most profound change of all.

My once very shy boy is now very social with other people. It used to take him some time warming up to others, but now, he talks to and plays with other children he's just met right away. He doesn't cling to me anymore - he runs off to play, laughing, sure of himself, talking. This makes my heart swell with pride, and I am thankful - thankful to the great school he goes to, and to his patient and kind teacher.

The other day, a boy older than my youngest son threw a train at him in the bookstore, making him cry. I picked up Dimitry, walking away, and then noticed Christos going up to the child, saying:

"You're not suppose to throw things at other people, okay? That's not nice."

To see that he was sticking up for his baby brother made me so happy!

It's amazing what school can do to a child. It's amazing to see him growing, everyday.

Thank goodness for wonderful teachers - especially kindergarten teachers! Their job might be almost as hard as the job of 'mom'!