Clara went to Ecole Arc En Ciel this morning. She got to spend two hours getting to know her new school, its students, teachers, and most importantly the atmosphere of her new digs. After a slightly clingy 5 minute socializing session in the playground Clara's name was called and she joined her new classmates for a tour. Two hours later I picked up a smiling big girl. She'd been paired up with a little girl in grade two. They'd drawn a picture together, written their names, and apparently Clara thoroughly checked out what she was wearing (an orange T-shirt with no picture on it, red crocs, red dangly star earrings).

I have to be honest, I'm completely relieved everything went so well. I was feeling so anxious and scared for Clara it was ridiculous. After work this evening, while I detailed to Marc my entire account of the Arc En Ciel visit, we realized what they did right. The parent volunteer didn't just try to get all the children to follow her into the school; I know Clara would have clung to me and refused to take one step away from me in that situation. She called all the children to her one at a time. Clara didn't get overwhelmed by a large group of kids she didn't know, she just took it as in invitation and it worked beautifully. I really think that one simple step made all the difference for her. Well, that and the little girl standing right beside us was speaking English to her mother, I know that put Clara's mind at ease a little as well. Anyway, overall it was an excellent introduction to school, I'm thrilled.

Did I mention that Leo was begging to stay at school as well? We ended up at the park which turned out to be a reasonable consolation for missing out on something exciting. I think the afternoon spent with Papa T also softened the blow a touch :)