He has been going to the daycare right from the time he was one, and he's almost 3 now, so quite a while. He loves going there and has a great time with other kids not to mention his day care provider whom he dearly loves. Every evening is a gala time for all kids when each parent comes to pick up their respective brats. Somehow, all of them manage to hover around the front door, and any passerby, say beyond the driveway can hear the furor created by all the howls and the squeals each time the door bell rings. And I, as a parent look forward to seeing the glee in their eyes when I ring the bell each and every evening.
Ofcourse, needless to say, there are good and bad days. Some days are blissful, one is happy and not grabbing anything from the other, then everyone is happy. Else- it's another story. Each one holding onto either the door handles, others t-shirts or the day care provider's leg and crying away to glory. In all those times, I have never failed to wonder what goes on in their minds. Do they ever feel neglected or sad? In a place like the United States where nuclear family is at its best, the one and only recognizable family they have is us, the parents. Maybe they wonder if we will indeed come back for them in the evening.
Come 6 every evening, I take a huge breath thinking what they might be thinking when my finger pushes that bell. The usual furor, and the door opens...and I see all those brilliant smiles again, and feel blessed for children being in our lives. And out comes my tyke from somewhere in there with either a dozen things in his hand trying to explain to me, or with a cartload of complaints against other kids. As I search his face every single day, can't help but wonder if they think about things we do.
And yes, the first thing he does when he sees me is break into an adorable innocent smile and I feel all better, and seems like he does too :)
