My alarm went off at 7 and I got up and started trying to get organised. Abi was up only a few minutes later and then DJ got up at about 7.30. I got all our bags by the front door, fed, washed and dressed the children and then we left home at 8.50. The taxi was late … again! We got down to the car and the guy was on the phone so we got in the car and waited. He was chatting away with the engine off and no a/c so both children and I started to get really hot. I asked him twice to put the a/c on and both times he pretended he didn't hear me. I ended up opening the car door and was about to get out when he got off the phone and started the car. We ended up setting off at 9 a.m.
We went to a nursery school called 'Mother's Pride' first to check it out. It's supposed to be quite a big nursery and I've heard mixed things about it. I told the driver to head to Sector 52 and he was asking for an address. I explained to him I didn't have an address but when we got there I would call the school and find out where it is. The whole of Gurgaon is split into Sectors so whenever you want to order food or find out where something is – it's always by which sector you want.
We approached Sector 52 and I saw the nursery from a mile away! Instead of explaining why – let me show you ….
It stood out like a sore thumb!! I was pointing at the building and telling the man that is where I wanted to go. He was really doing my head in because he was saying straight and I kept saying 'no look, there. That building. Go there!' and he was pretending he didn't have a clue what I was saying! Anyway, I finally made him understand where I wanted to go and we arrived at the school.
Before I write any more I will post some photos that I took while we were driving to the school …
The look of the school was really good and you can see a lot of money has been put into it, but the feel of the school was not good. I didn't like it at all. It very much seemed like all they wanted was my money, for example, they were telling me the fees I had to pay for Dylan and then they said, I had to pay for Abigail too so that when she reached two years old she was guaranteed a place there and guaranteed the same rates (as in two years time, the fees will probably have increased). I explained that we probably wouldn't be in India when Abi needs nursery school and I was told that it was fully refundable. Then they told me that when I enrol Dylan in November, we would have to pay Rs.50,000 to hold his place in their sister junior school. Again this would be fully refundable. All I thought was 'Yeah right!' I was not willing to pay £700 for nothing! And I can imagine what it would be like trying to get it refunded! Oh, I forgot the best bit … I had to fill in a pre-application form just to get in to have a look around the school. The questions on the pre-app form were – Child's Name, Child's DOB, Mother's Name, Mother's Contact Number, Father's Name, Father's Contact Number, Annual household income. I refused to write our income and the woman was pointing at it saying 'fill in here'. I told her I wasn't going to fill it in and she said 'yes, you put salary here' and I told her that she didn't need to know what our household income was, all she needed to worry about was that we could afford the fees, which we could and she didn't need any other information. She was not happy with me but I don't care! Anyway, I know that, just from walking around there, Dylan would not be happy there and I wouldn't be happy putting him there either.
We left Mother's Pride after half an hour of being there and went straight back to the other preschool that we had tried out last week. After trying out three different schools, I was even more determined that I had made up my mind about where I wanted him to go. As soon as we got to the school, DJ ran off into one of the rooms and started playing. I explained to him that I would be in the office and he could come see me if he needed to. He seemed fine with that so I went into the Principal's office to fill out the paperwork to reserve his place for November. After about 10 minutes, DJ came in and said 'Cars! Cars!' The principal followed him and I followed her. He went down the stairs to the front entrance and then went to the other stair case to go down to the basement where all the ride on cars are. The principal told me not to worry as the stair gate was on and he couldn't get down. As she was saying that Dylan started to go down the stairs!! He had opened the stair gate!!!! The principal was really shocked and told me she thought it was fool proof and now they would have to think of another way to lock the stair gate lol. DJ went downstairs (where there was a class playing) and the principal told the teacher if DJ got upset to just bring him back upstairs.
When we got back to her office, she said to me she couldn't believe that Dylan opened the stair gate. I said to her that that is what I had been trying to tell her last time I saw her. I was worried about the security because I know DJ and when he is determined to do something, he'll do it and he's clever too which means he can normally figure things out quickly! Little monkey!! :)
I finished filling all the paperwork out and paid the cheque for him for November/December. As I was just finishing off the forms, DJ came in. He had been gone for about 25 minutes. He walked into the office BEAMING! He sat on the chair next to me and started talking to me telling me about cars and children and slides. I noticed he had sand all over his neck and asked him if he'd played in some sand. The principal explained there was also a sand pit in the basement. So, he'd obviously been in there too. Anyway, he was SO happy and after a few minutes of talking to me, stood up and went into another room. I followed him and waited because I had arranged to meet Shehla, the lady who told me about the school (she is a mother, whose little boy is the same age as DJ). I was sitting with Abi on my knee and watching the children play and then it was time for lesson change over. I think I mentioned before that all the children do different activities in each of the designated rooms so the classes move around the rooms depending what subject they are doing. I was talking to a teacher when this was happening and all of a sudden, all the children were gone into class rooms and DJ was nowhere to be seen!! I wasn't worried because I knew he couldn't get out of the school grounds as the gates have a security guard there and they are locked during the day. I looked around for him and just then Shehla arrived. She asked me where Dylan was and I laughed and said 'I don't know, he was here a minute ago'.
The next second the music room door opened and out walked DJ! LOL. He had followed a class into the room and it was only once all the children sat down that I think he realised he wasn't supposed to be in there. Too funny! Glad he had the right idea about which classroom to go in though!!
We left school and headed home. Both children were so tired. When we got back, I laid Abi on the playroom floor and she was so happy to play while I made DJ some lunch. He had his lunch while I put Abi down for her nap, then I went back and took DJ to his room to lay him down for a nap. Both children went to sleep! What an eventful, but successful morning!!
While the kids were sleeping, I spoke to Indeg on Skype, which was lovely as we haven't had chance to catch up for ages. Then I spoke to Mel on Skype (only briefly as Abi had woken up). We had a relaxed afternoon and at about 5.45 I started making DJ's dinner. While he was eating I spoke to Mel again and then after dinner, I phoned Laura to catch up. Dylan and Abigail started racing down the corridor, DJ on his car and Abi in her walker and in the end, I had to get off the phone as DJ was getting hyper. Bath and then both children in bed by 8. DJ didn't sleep until about 9.30 (because of his nap this afternoon), but he was happy laid in bed watching a bit of television and playing cars.
I ordered Chinese food because I was too tired to cook and then I watched a bit of television to relax. I'm so happy that I have sorted out a school for DJ; it's a big weight off my shoulders. You may think it sounds like I am being too pushy as Dylan is only 2 and a half, but in India, proper school starts at 3, not 4 like the UK so if we are still here for a while it is important that he gets established in a school. Also, I think it's really important for his independence and development to start being around other children more.
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