Connections during the First Weeks of School

During the first weeks of school, the main goal for all the parents who work at MCPC is to make connections with all the kids. This connection is very important because it helps the kids know who we are so when we explain things to them to correct behaviors or set boundaries, they listen to us.

This is my second year at MCPC, but I didn’t start as a working parent until the middle of the last school year. Since I started working so late in the year last year, I didn’t get to connect with some of the older kids who were the 2nd year Owls and the 3rd year Bobcats. I did interact with them throughout the year, and they knew who I was, but of course since there wasn’t that initial connection, at times I felt like they didn’t want to listen to me and things were a little difficult.

This year, I got to work our family’s first work day. I was the Playroom Parent, and at first, only the Owls and Bobcats came in to enjoy all the activities that were set-up. But later, there were a lot of Turtles who came in to check out the activities and played. I was able to teach many of them how to roll out the play-dough and stamp-out some prints, helped some of the kids play make-believe and dress up as fire fighters and doctors, and even read a book or two to some of them. The funniest part was helping the Turtles understand how to use the paper towel dispenser and how the next sheet that automatically came out after they ripped theirs was for the next person, not for them. And you know what?  They listened!

At Circle Time, the rule is that your own child has priority to sit on your lap, and other kids can sit on your lap too, if you let them. My daughter is a Bobcat, so she went to the Cottage for 2nd Circle, so no one had “dibs” to sit on my lap in the Playroom. So, when the Turtles came in and saw me sitting down already, many of them knew who I was and sat down right next to me. But there was one child who saw me and ran to me and was so comfortable that she sat right down on my lap. This really made me happy and made me feel like the connections were made with many of the Turtles.

Now, you might be wondering…why do I need to make connections with the Turtles? Well, the connections between the working parents and the children at the school create foundations of trust between all the parents. All of these kids will attend the same birthday parties and play dates, and because of these foundations, parents trust other MCPC parents to watch their kids during these functions.  It’s this trust and connection between the families at school that really makes everyone at MCPC feel like family.

When they say it takes a village to raise a family, I believe that MCPC is where you find your village.

If you’re interested in learning more or joining our co-op, please contact a current MCPC parent at preschool@mcpckids.org.