First Week of School

The first week went well, so far so good, for the kids in school.  The biggest challenge has been adjusting to the new schedule of waking early to drive to school and doing homework after getting home late at night.

The teachers are puzzled about their background.  They have been asking if the kids were home-schooled in Germany (because they are so behind in some areas) and ask if they have ever been in a classroom before.  We have had to explain that no, home schooling is illegal in Germany, which surprises them.  We told them that non-German kids do not count in the schools testing score results for the first four years after arriving in Germany, so the teachers did not teach them and focused on educating the other kids.  This is not speculation, the teachers in Germany told us they were doing this without a hint of embarrassment.  However, I think the teachers here don't believe us because this is so illegal here it is hard to image a "civilized" country doing this somewhere else.  I explain to them that this, the kids education, is the main reason we had to leave Europe and return to the US. 

I am working with the kids each night on their homework and focusing on difficult areas.  They are both smart kids and I am confident that they will catch up quickly. 

We also all got sick this week with a cold, which is probably related to exposure at school, so we are resting up now this weekend.  Although T did get in a lion dance gig this morning.

Also the kids have been taking care of the neighbors dogs for the last two weeks, while they are away traveling.  Overall they have been very responsible about it, feeding the dogs first thing in the morning and checking to make sure they have water and watering the plants.