Goodbye Sunflower Baby House!

Today is Noah's last day at SBH. We've been walking thru her doors almost every single weekday the past 4 years (since Nathan was an infant), and it saddens me that it is time to leave. Dean & I decided that I'd return to full time work when Nathan was 6 months old. After visiting several infant care centres, we decided to entrust Nathan to the caring team at SBH. I can still remember the very first day I left him at SBH, a few days before I was due to return to work. Having spent every moment of his life with him up until then, it was difficult letting go... I wasn't sure if he'd be able to sleep well, eat well, and whether he'd be well taken care of. My worries were unfounded. He didn't have any problems settling in, and went on to enjoy 2 years with SBH. 

This is Nathan when he started attending SBH  (6 months old)...

Nathan's hair styled by his teachers at SBH

And Nathan when he 'graduated' from SBH when he was 2 1/2 years old...

Noah started attending SBH when he was 5 months old...

And today, he's almost 3 years old...

"Robot cupcakes" that he's sharing with his teachers & friends

The teachers at SBH are ever so chirpy and enthusiastic. They always have a ready smile for the kids, and evidently enjoy their jobs as pre-school teachers. I like how they value each child as an individual and take time to greet each of them by name, and always take time to listen to what the kids have to say. The kids are engaged in a wide variety of activities ranging from languages, to art & music, to gym, sand play, water play and playground time... I know that their time is spent meaningfully in school and it is so heartening to see their smiles when I pick them up in the evenings. It is clear to me that they've enjoyed their day at school.

At SBH, Nathan & Noah learned to feed themselves when they were 18 months old and started speaking in sentences at about that time as well. I think it is triggered by the need to 'survive' more than anything... being able to speak in sentences meant being able to say... "teacher Farah, Peter pushed me"... "teacher Ain, Jane didn't wear her school uniform today"... It meant being able to say "but I already said sorry"... when your friend accuses you of doing something wrong... They generally enjoy playing alongside/with peers, and are able (most of the time) to adhere to social norms like taking turns and queueing up.

I like how SBH takes time to not just organise excursions, but also events like Sports Day and the Annual Concert. My boys enjoy going on the big bus with their teachers and friends, and still remember and talk about the excursions that they've been on even though the trips were so long ago. They won their first trophies at the school sports day, and had the opportunity to work as a team with their teachers and friends to put up a concert, much to the delight of all the parents.

Noah's first excursion

Nathan's first trophy

Annual Concert 2011

Noah took part in his first school concert just last month and we really enjoyed the show put up by all his teachers friends...

To the management, teachers and friends at SBH, we would like to say a big thank you! You are the first teachers and friends that Nathan and Noah have gotten to know. You provided an environment where they were able to grow from tiny sunflower seeds to the flowers that they are today. It has been an enjoyable journey and we are grateful.