Brand new MN Little Italy (22)

[Francagoestohollywood]

hello, ciao, etc

As for being a class rep, I think you need nerves of steel. There are always 2 or 3 parents who can be a big pain

Terrible morning this am... DD did not want to get up at all, refused the potty and was really whiney. Cried when I left, my mum struggled to get her into the car for drop off... Then got to asilo and ran into the teacher's arms happily waving goodbye to grandma. Go figure

This too shall pass (I thought I would never say that, but here you go).

Anyway, looking forward to the weekend now. Off to "la mostra della casa moderna", i.e. lots of property porn. Not really looking for anything but just fancy a real nose-around.

Bad bad morning I am in the pausa and have to get back there in 30 mins. They divided the bimbi up and mixed with gia inseriti. Minirosa they put with the piccoli she is 2 in Nov then the others are all 2 in Feb March and in oltre. I understand why they did it but she hated it it. The toys were building blocks, and kitchen things . then they did some drawing. MInirosa is a creature of habbit and she just kept saying andiamo mamma -palle / dolls - Meaning in the other room there were balls / dolls all the bloody positive things that we had been talking about. I did try to say this to the teachers but they diddn't get it. Needless to say when I went she screamed and screamed. I don't think I can keep this up much longer ......

What did the teachers tell you she did after you left? Did she settle and play a bit?
They might have moved her into the piccoli room thinking she might find it less overwhelming?
It can work at times, although in minirosa's case it might not, because she has an older sister and might totally be used to play with older children.

Dd cried a little bit today too, but only when told her I had to leave. She seems in a better mood, and greeted lots of new children when she arrived at school.

MI, yes, 2 yr old are unpredictable

Rosa I really feel for you. Maybe you could ask them to try her out with the older children next time?

Glad your DD is feeling a bit happier Franca.

Casa Moderna sounds good, full report on monday please!

How was she when you picked her up Rosa? Enjoy Casa Moderna Minerva. Franca DD must be feeling happier if she is greeting the others fingers crossed

Dd had a setback today, as we arrived and they had a supplente so she broke down in huge tears. I don't think I handled it well, I kissed her and reassured her, but also said, "come on dd, adesso basta". Oh dear

Bloody supplente- just when you think you may have cracked it you get set back by that. Is her normal teacher due in tomorrow do you know? For what it's worth I think you handled it well, gave her reassurance but were also matter of fact about it.
I have been thinking back to when I started school. We moved around a lot due to Dad's job at the time and I went to 6 different junior and infants school in total . I will be dragging that out with DS when he starts big school

She doesn't go to school on saturdays (that's one of the perks of tempo pieno), but I hope the teacher's back on Monday.

I don't know, I think I've been too harsh... Her reaction really amazes me, as she is usually very confident and has always skipped with joy to materna, boh!
How's master gio doing, he likes going to materna, doesn't he?

Franca I would not worry too much you just let your guard down for a second! Supplente after few days only is a bit of a pain though - if your DD was just getting comfortable with things I can see how that would throw her. And besides, my DD is sooooo tired now - your is probably too!

I HATED asilo with a passion - I was generally happy at school though.

loves materna now but was long haul to get there. Maestra said his language is improving but still behind other kids of his age. Tell you what this bilingualism isn't easy! Am starting to grit my teeth when well meaning friends say- oh he's so lucky, it'll just be so easy and natural for him to pick up 2 languages. Or is that just us? Should it be that easy? Boh!
I have never understood how the saturday school thing works Franca-is it standard that anyone not doing tempo pieno does Saturdays? Our school is closed on a Saturday so guess not. Fingers crossed normal teacher back on Monday. Am sure she will settle down soon though, it will just be a reaction to being take out of her comfort zone.

Minerva, I too didn't enjoy scuola materna as much as I enjoyed school, but I never really got used to it as, when I was little, I missed lots of days to go and see the ortottista for "ginnastica ortottica" before I had the operation to resolve my squint. And I also had an evil teacher at materna!
My dc on the other hand, have been really lucky with materna, ds once said he wanted to be at materna until he was 9 yrs old!!!

Gio, children who choose tempo pieno (and also modulo, I think) don't go on saturdays, children who break at 12.30 also go on saturdays. There aren't many doing such short days in Milan though.

I chose tempo pieno because I really liked the progetto educativo, but the bloody gelmini reform has cut all the hrs of compresenze that were used to do all sorts of lovely activities, so I'm very cross.

BILINGUISM: it is not easy at all. My dc spoke a jolly good english in the uk, but they were far from being 100% bilingual. And in fact, I think they'd have had lots of problems academically and that we'd have had to work hard to help them.

A bit better today but I had a word with the teachers as we were in the same room with the same toys. MR took a book with her and one of the other children showed an interest in it so they got down a box of books and that was it she was off and strangely enough she got attached to the one that dd1 liked when she was there !
We then did an activity with the dc and then we left . I felt much better leaving her as she had been interested in things. Will see MOnday.
Gio - My paed said that both dd would speak probably later than other children and confuse words and phrases. DD1 spoke ahead of other children but now she does make odd mistakes like ' Look mummy a leg of crab ' but I am not bothered. We are taking learning letters slowly . Minirosa speaks mainly words in Italian but with the odd UK word fixed - 'labbit' 'dowm' booh ( book) and for once its not my spelling that is how she says them. I reckon that generally by 5 they have got all teeth ,language is there and they sort fo stretch and loose that toddler sort of run ! Stick at it and he will get there.
Franca bummer about supplente but well done to the school for getting one I thought Gelmini had done away with them all .
This modulo stuff just confuses me but I will concentrate on understanding it all...with your help !

Awwww good to hear Minirosa has had a better day, sounds like she was much more a suo agio today

Supplente should be just for the day, as the maestra di italiano apparently had a permesso.

I've really no idea what the modulo is all about, I think it is a week of 30 hrs, instead of the 40 of tempo pieno.

Hello lovelies, so sorry to hear that some of the Even Littler Italies are having a hard time of it. May it pass quickly.

What the chuff are copriscarpe? Like in a swimming pool? In school?

(but no Burberry, Moncler, or as I have seen the latest Autumn fashion will be down here, Tod's on primary kids....now a Tod's loafer I'm sure is a lovely thing for a grown up, but the number of 7 yr olds I've seen with the huge fvck off Tod's logo on their shoes (and I remain convinced the parents are only buying them because of the logo) is rather worrying.)

Apparently here in A$$ End, next year there is talk of one public nursery closing altogether and the new intake at dd's school will all be on a 24 hr giro. With presumably more compiti for the parents to do.

Elton John played on Wednesday night across the road here! If you ever have the chance to go and see him don't. T'is music to be in a coma to. Lots of middle aged wobbly thighed women in tight white trousers running along the lungomare to get there in time though.

Bucharest, I feel a cold shiver down my spine thinking at children wearing tods and an Elton John's concert. Not sure what's worse

Tod's with Moncler polos (collar turned up and out so even the partially sighted get an eyeful of the logo) and, I kid you not, Burberry check trousers 1a elementare. I want to run up to them with a mirror and shout "grezzi! grezzi!" Then run away again.

Lol at grezzi (up here we tend to call them tamarri). I do confess - I bought a pair of Tod's loafers for me in the sales once and guess what... Sooooooo uncomfortable that I can only wear them if I am not walking very far. What's the point?????

Our asilo has uniforms - apart from the occasional baby Armani sandal they all look the same. Uniform is bloody expensive though as there is only one supplier.

I agree with the bilinguism issue - sooo hard. DD is only two and although she responds to either Italian or English commands(when madam wants of course), she mixes up the two languages "dove daddy car?". Surely this is normal?????

Had to Google Tod's, can't quite get my head round a loafer being an object of desire for anyone really. Their website was no help as it is so pretentious and slow loading (well ok my colegamento here is crap too) I got bored and left before seeing any product.

Speaking of trends, are all the kids in your various necks of the wood covered in those elastic band things then?

Re billingualism I have always been a little sceptical about them finding it so easy, although ok our family is not billingual really. DD barely speaks it despite 3+ years of constant exposure at school and nursery. Gio is your DS stronger in English?

Che tamarri indeed! I loathe those burberry clothes for little children. I see lots of BABIES in burberry checks trousers in the town where dh is from.

Sputnik, yes, it's a schokky bands overload here. I actually liked them at first, but now I'm fed up.

Minerva, yes, totally normal. Ds started to speak at 2 and before then his first words had been a mix of Italian and English.
Mine were stronger in Italian, but their English used to be very good and they could join in any situation etc and when we were with our english friends they switched from one language to another without probs.
According to some friends of ours, when we went back to Italy for the holidays the dc spoke Italian with an english accent. Now, sadly, they speak english with an Italian one

Those b*** elastic band things they appear everywhere and I keep throwing them out but they mulitply. I am in fear of MR putting them in her mouth !
Burberry I saw a Age 4 in a mac the other day .I am presuming that the same two who were wearing loafers were TODs ones - I have not seen any in the shops as dd has her clarks shoes which are doing fine thanks. I got passed on a lovely burberry pinafore for minirosa wouldn't buy it myself but as a freebee thats fine by me !!!!!!

So kids settling in then. I'm very confused about your schooling. But I guess it's the same in the Uk for younger years. Are some of you doing state and some private?

DS starts school tomorrow. Reckon he's the last kid in the UK to start and I'm feeling half phew about time, and half - oh my babeeee.

Kids in Burberry - no economic crisis in Italy then? Wow.

DS is nothing like bilingual and it turns out ds's teaching assistant is from dh's village (of all the places in the world) - so dh is hoping to delegate the responsibility of getting ds to speak Italian to her. Erm no. Not her job.

DS cannot stand her (met her a few weeks back on the home visit) but I think this woman is great - she's quite elderly and STRICT. I'm liking strict.

The language thing is becoming a problem in my view - his gran calls and he doesn't want to speak to her yet I talk to my mum and he's grabbing the phone off me. It's not right.

What's the elastic band stuff - a fashion?

Hi Giveitago, I hope your ds will love going to school! Dd is still sobbing in the morning, it's been too big a change from scuola materna.

Schooling is different in Italy. Children start primary school at 6. Before then you can opt for scuola materna (from when they are in the year of their 3rd birthday), which is not compulsory, but is attended by the majority of children (at least in northern and central italy).
In Milan there is a small number of state scuole materne and a good number of scuole materne that are run by the local council. They are - on average- pretty good and totally free. You only have to pay for school dinners and those are means tested.
My children both go to state school.

Noooo Hello Kitty elastic bracelets band things ...I am being asked 200 times a day mamma prendiamo ......
Giveitago. My dds are in materna and a kind of nido nursery for 15mths- 3 yrs. The nursery is private but they say it is slightly state funded . The materna is also private. It is doubtful that I would be allocated a place in state funded materne as I don't work . When they go to elementary school it is probable that it will be state if we get them into the one we like if not then we will go down teh private route but I hasted to add it is not as expensive as in the UK.
I am so filled with cold and have cake No4 to do now. Left MR in tears and they gave her the wrong dummy I couldn't go back in and tell them as I was peeking in the window . Also 3 of the kids ore off with vomito ......Speriamo bene!
Vado cake time !Atissshooooo

Good to hear that I am not the only one struggling with bilingualism - I suppose mal comune mezzo gaudio (not). GIveitago, what system are you using for bilingualism (OPOL/MLAH...)? That may explain why one language is "late"?

As far as school goes, the system is a bit different. Normally in Italy kids start kindergarden at age 3 (mostly playing etc) and primary at 6 (more formal learning, reading maths etc). My DD is in private as we wanted her to start at 2, so she goes to the local British school. The director of the school says that in the British system kids start earlier but take things more slowly; in the italian system the learning curve after the age of 6 is very steep, particularly in maths - so the although the end result is the same, how they get there is quite different. I am not even going to touch on secondaries as that is a different game altogether.

Anyway, I went to the Mostra della casa moderna last weekend... Basically the hot thing is pre-fabricated eco houses which you buy off on a "pick and mix" basis, and have everything in it: fotovoltaic and solar panels, full insulation with eco materials, geotermal power for air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter, water-purification system that recycles water etc. They look good too! Only problem is finding the land the build one on - not too hard over here but basically impossible in cities I would think.

I was however disappointed with the furniture displays - it's all either white or frappuccino colour, which makes your house look like a set from a bad 1970s movie; hardly any strong colours at all. Oh, and olive kitchens are hot. And they have to have round bits, not too many corners. And the worktop is either very thick or very thin. Granite is out (unless it's a country or mountain house kitchen), composites are in. There are rumours that "French boudoir" style may be back in soon though. Hot gizmo of the year: large mirrors with a plasma screen hidden behind it (so if the telly is off you just see a big mirror. If you switch the telly on the picture is projected from behind on the mirror). I hope that makes sense.