Patty

good for you Lorna. Unfortunately when they get to the medie they become like sheep and feel the need to copy the others in the class. Poor Chloe.

Patty

oh and while I'm on a rant second day back at school and the school bus forgot to bring my son home at end of school at 1pm ! and none of the little beggars on the bus thought to tell the driver. Luckily he went to the other English lady in the village and they rang me to go and get him (we're about 3 km away). Hubby rang up the 'new' driver and told him and he apologised.

K in Modena

Yes, I would agree with that! Thinking about it, in Italian you're a bambino for many more years than you're a baby in English, then you're a ragazzo til you're at least 40... it's a country full of Peter Pans.

Apparently my sister-in-law has issues with my niece trying to climb into the front seat of a moving car. I don't know much about car seats for three-year-olds- are they easy for the child to open?

indiebird

Oh gosh! How long are you supposed to feed your kids for??? Is this why they have a problem with kids eating with a knife and fork when they get to school then?? Are they still being fed at six!!!!????

I always get nice compliments about how educata Julia is. Her teachers think it is amazing that she went to school feeding herself, takes in fruit for snacks, doesn't need me to take her up to the front doors etc. etc. etc. I get sooooo annoyed when people make comments (other mummies outside the school gates) though. People seem to think I don't want to go up to the gates to extract her from the throng because I don't care about her whereas I want to give her confidence to be able to deal with situations on her own.

Then when they get to media they just let them run wild even though a lot of them have zero road sense. I live near the scuola media and I have nearly knocked over a few kids. Some who just run out into the road without even looking!! Drives me crazy -especially when they don't seem to even notice the car!!

Anyway rant over on that front! School seems to be going well so far for us, but this is the first week of full-time for my kids. Last week was morning only. Julia has one new teacher for Maths and Science. She told the kids she has 37 years of experience on the first day and she is short and dumpy and Julia loves her. We've dubbed her 'Nonna Angela' at home because Julia says she is like a nonna -Must remember not to call her that at parent's evening though....

H now has the Vice Presida as his class teacher, italian, geography and history teacher as there were a lot of problems with the class last year. The two new teachers they had were just not up to dealing with the behavioural issues and five kids were bocciato last year!!! Anyway, so this Prof. is wonderful. She is a natural with the kids and is firm but fair and H is up and ready to go in every day. She has even installed an armadio in the class so they are not then dragging books back and forth every day. She is the sort of woman who stops in the street to say hello too and she's come out of her way in town to come and talk to me about how fantastic it is to have H and how proud we must be of such a clever kid! Most teachers here try and scuttle away without being seen so this is major..... although my friend found it funny when the Presida herself honked and waved at me (like she always does!) when I was on my way to the school one day so maybe it's just me.....

indiebird

Oh K I wanted to add that my son could let himself out of his 5 point harness at about two years old (I had a job getting the damn thing undone!!) In the end I used to stop the car and refuse to move until he got beck in and then I would do him back up. This is how I deal with fights in the back with the pair of mine too. I just pull over and refuse to move because it's quite off-putting to try and drive while shouting and being able to see flailing arms and legs in your rearview mirror.

K in Modena

Oh, right. That would figure because she is a very precocious child. I did have my suspicions though as her mother had no problem with her travelling around without a car seat when they came to visit (in a friend's car, not ours. I refused!).

Indie, that's great for H to be getting such compliments (J too but I remember H had a hard time in the past).

Patty

Indie - I am sooo pleased for you. After all your problems last year with school and all that H went through - you must be so thrilled to receive compliments for him now. You must be so proud and happy

I've been reading some parents stories on one of the italian papers online regarding the school situation here in Italy. It was interesting and sad to hear so many negative stories. Also here above us in the hills and mountains - there was a small school that couldnt open because of maintenance problems and in the end all the parents got together and over a weekend they painted and decorated and repaired the school and thats the only reason it was able to open last week.

indiebird

K -despite what I said, I know lots and lots of otherwise sensible women who seem to turn into an idiot over the carseat thing and say: 'But, my little treasure just won't sit in the carseat'. Like there is a choice!!! I remember once refusing to move the car here til one of H's friends just buckled up his damn seatbelt. There was no way the car was moving until they were all strapped in. I couldn't live with myself if something happened to any child in my car!!

indiebird

It's shameful isn't it Patty!!! I've been reading these stories too and thinking about how pitiful the education system is here, unless you are lucky enough to find the truly special individuals who make a difference. I often wonder if kids have equal rights here. Honestly we subsidise Parliament's mensa more than we do the schools here and I know where the future is!!!!!

Cashmere Kate

I spent one year teaching English in a scuola materna to the 4-6 year olds. On my first week there, one little boy came running up to me saying "Mario's done a poo!". My reply "Oh, good!". A little later, Mario came up to me and said "Kate, I did a poo!". "Well done, Mario!". The next time I was in, the class teacher called me aside and said they'd had a complaint from Mario's mum that no-one had cleaned his bottom after he'd done a poo and he'd gone home with dirty pants and trousers. The child was 6 years old for goodness sake! The teacher didn't understand why I was so shocked. After that, any time someone came to tell me one of their friends had done a poo, I always told them to go and tell Maestra Anna!

Patty

indiebird

duffer

There's nothing wrong with doing poo in your pants.

duffer

I sent Brando into school today with a 37 degree temp and runny nose. Hehe. He was bright as buttons when I picked him though up at lunchtime.

indiebird

Baaaad Daaaaad, baaaaaaddddd Dad!!