The first full week of full time school ended last Friday and a clear pattern is emerging.

The last thing Dani says when he goes to bed I “I don’t want to go to school tomorrow.” The first thing he says when he is woken is “I don’t want to go to school today.”

Little faces in the window…

This morning he clung to me like a barnacle when I tried to leave him at his classroom door. It reminded me of the way some kids reacted on my first day of school. Eventually he told me to go and stand outside by the window so he could at least see me from inside. As if he thought I was going to wait there all day. One of the señoras blancas (ladies in white) coaxed him into the room and led him to the window. He saw me waving outside then I sneaked off. Guilt ridden! The window was full of little faces just tall enough to peer out. A sad sight for sure although most seemed reasonably content.

He was fine first thing this morning and ate all his breakfast in good spirits. It was when we neared the building that he started crying. In between repeated pleas not to take him into the school he actually sobbed “I am too little to go to school”. The problem is that I fully agree with him but this is the way things are here in Spain. There is nothing I can do about it.

Achtung baby…

The odd thing is however that I think he quite likes it while he is there. He must be paying attention in the classroom as he has even started saying the odd German phrase. When asked who taught him to say that he replies “Frau Silvia”.

The kids refer to the teachers depending on their language. Dani’s teachers are Señorita Lara (Spanish), Miss Jenny (English) and Fraulein Silvia for German (shortened to Frau). For French lessons it is Mademoiselle Pauline – at least I think so. He has not mentioned French classes yet. In any case I get the feeling Dani would rather take his chances with “Madame La Guillotine” than stop in school.

It’s going to be a long, hard first term after all.