Any tips for starting maternelle in France? (petite section)

[Shahsham]

DS1 has la rentree next Wednesday (private school so a day later than most!) and I'm getting a bit concerned cos he's never been to creche or halte-garderie, so this is the first time he'll be away from family (I work FT and my parents-in-law look after DS).

He's a very sociable little lad and has made several friends in the local parc, but he speaks 95% English and very little French.

He'll only be going mornings at first cos his sleep is too bad to inflict on everyone for the afternoon sieste

Any tips? We've been to the school classroom and met the current teacher - who wasn't sure she'd still be teaching PSM in September but apart from that we've had little contact or information.

He will be fine. Take a little bag with a change of clothes in case he has an accident and a doudou. The teachers are experienced in dealing with young children and are used to la rentrée. It will be strange to him at first but young children adapt quickly. Bon courage!

Mine started Maternelle in Brussels aged barely 2.5, barely dry, and speaking no French. It was fine. She loved it. Had very few accidents. They are amazingly efficient at getting them all to the loo etc and then getting on with stuff.

Good point about the clothes. He's been dry in the day for 4 months now but will probably be a bit overwhelmed and shy so might not ask for the toilet.

In my experience they marched them all to the loo en masse at regular intervals.

He'll be fine. IMO French schools make less of a song and dance about settling in than English schools because, in PS, the DC are a year younger than DC entering Reception and they have three whole years ahead of them to do the groundwork before the hard work begins. Maternelle is very low key and lasts a long time at a gentle pace.

I agree with Bonsoir. It is very gentle and sometimes you find yourself wondering what on earth they do in maternelle. Certainly by GS when there is still no expectation of them knowing how to read, you pine for the UK system.

But PS is usually lots of singing, coloring, poems, holding hands queuing up to go to the loo and out to play. Nothing very taxing.

Thanks that reassuring.

His sleep is horrendous right now (not sure why - we've stopped mentionning school in case he was getting anxious) and Im hoping it'll settle down quickly once he's at school!

Also, after so many news reportages about la rentree and how much stuff you have to buy, I was a bit that we don't appear to have to get him anything (except the school tablier which we already have)