Little Day Care Routines

"Dada go work and Mama go work, Aaron go school and Jada go school."  This is the little impromptu song that Jada and I have made up as I push her and Aaron to day care every morning.  Other regular parts of our five-day-a-week commute are: "I'm going to school," "I'm going to play with new friends," and "I'm going to play with my teachers."  Aaron, of course, just sits in the front seat and takes in the view.

When we arrive at the day care facility, I park Aaron outside Jada's room; put Jada's snack, jacket, and hat in her cubby; give her a good-bye kiss; and she's off into her classroom.  She makes a beeline for her teacher and for the wall that has different-colored animals, and her and her teacher will go through each one: "red lion, blue hippo, green frog," and so on. 

I then wheel Aaron to outside his classroom; put his snack, jacket, and hat away; and carry him to his classroom, where he is cheerfully greeted by his teacher.  I plop him on the ground, give him a good-bye kiss, and retrace my steps back to the front entrance.  On the way, Jada and I make eye contact (the walls are only four feet high) and I blow her a kiss on my way out.

In the evening, I get Aaron first.  When he sees me, he furiously crawls towards me, and I scoop him up, get his jacket and hat on, and buckle him into the back seat (Jada's usual space).  Then I go to Jada's area, and she runs towards me for a hug.  We get her jacket and hat on, and I buckle her into the front seat (Aaron's usual space).  Then I push them home, Aaron again enjoying the views and Jada jabbering away, either singing "Twinkle Twinkle" or counting to 20. 

You could say we've gotten a rhythm going with day care.  I am certainly glad to know they are properly looked after during the day, so I can concentrate on my job.  But it sure is nice to see them at the end of a long work day, and to bring them home to Mama and to a warm meal.