First Day of Kindergarten

Today was a big one for LGG: her first day of kindergarten. She's attending a regular Swiss state kindergarten, rather than an international school, because we want her to be more integrated into the Swiss system and to make friends beyond just our circle of international friends. Then, of course, there's the fact that international schools are definitely not in our price range.

Her school is similar to a public school kindergarten in the US, but with less emphasis on reading, writing, and 'rithmetic and more on learning through play and learning respect and good behavior. Kids shake their teachers' hand when coming into the school and when leaving, for example. Also, kids aren't expected to read or write until first grade.

Swiss kids need to have some specific supplies: hausschuhe, slippers worn inside the classroom; kindergarten tasche, small bags for carrying a snack to school; gym clothes for Fridays with a bag to hold them; and small reflective vests. If they are lucky enough to have indulgent relatives living back in the US, they also get ladybug raincoats and matching rain boots. Here's a picture of LGG sporting her tasche (courtesy of ZMG's parents) and her vest over her raincoat, all ready for the first rainy day:



Here's a picture from early this morning with me and LGG getting ready to head off to school. Note the lack of rain gear: it has been beautiful in Zürich the past few days.


One note worth mentioning: Swiss kids are expected to make their own way to school by first grade, when they are seven. However, we live across a big street from LGG's school, and it was the first day, so we walked her there. She was very eager, refusing to let either of us carry any of her bags or other gear, and leading me most of the way there. I guess she has missed going to school since we left the US.

When we arrived, her teacher welcomed LGG to class, sadly by calling her the wrong name -- which we rapidly fixed. Afterward, ZMG and I left and LGG had her first time away from us since we arrived. It was a mixed bag, with some successes -- LGG reports that she and a classmate 'made a bird together today, Daddy!' -- and some hard spots. We expect LGG will have a couple of hard weeks and then hopefully things will improve.