8月31日，是乐乐在Caring Center学校的最后一天。我们和老师很早就开始给乐乐讲，她就要去新学校了。言语间，她并没有显得很难过，可能还不完全明白分离的含义吧。Linda老师嘱咐我们要做好转学的过渡工作，注意细节和乐乐的情绪变化。

乐乐在她的学校将近两年了，最初几个月的完全不适应，现在每天快快乐乐去学校，她的成长我们是有目共睹的。我和乐爸怀着十分感激的心情。

8月31日这天很快就到了，我还有一点小惆怅 - 两年了，是不短的时间呢，尤其对一个还不到三岁的孩子来说。老师要给乐乐组织一个小小的欢送会。2点半，乐爸去跟老师做exit interview(离别前的谈话)，Linda老师给了很多建议关于如何帮助乐乐过渡去新学校，以及如何帮助她与妹妹相处等等。关于和妹妹相处，Linda老师说乐乐需要attention(关注)，花时间批评她，她就得到了她需要的关注，所以批评很可能没有好的效果。老师建议我们周末可以父母两个人花两个小时单独陪乐乐，给她关注，作为她一周下来跟妹妹友好相处的奖励。

3点半，小朋友们都起床了，开始准备吃下午的加餐。我和乐爸事先跟厨房订了cup cake。老师吃点心之前跟大家说今天是乐乐最后一天在学校，大家一起为她送行。小朋友们目光都聚向我和乐爸。有一个女孩子说， “我的妈妈也快来了”。老师说了一段吃饭前例行说的话(Earth who gives to us this food, Sun who makes it ripe and good. Dear Sun, Dear Earth, by you we live, our loving thanks we give.”)，然后又讲了祝福乐乐的话。最让我感动的是老师给乐乐准备的礼物 - 15个小手印，乐乐朝夕相处的小朋友们的小手印。这时何等珍贵的礼物呀，我很感动。另外老师还特意准备了一个小相册书，里面有挑选出来的乐乐在学校的照片。

不知乐乐的感受怎样的，她一定知道这天有些不同，但又说不清楚。仪式结束了以后所有的孩子都出去玩，我们在院子里陪乐乐玩到5点钟。乐乐一直都很开心。

再见了，Caring Center，再见了Linda老师，Dina老师，和Lisa老师，还有同学们。

最珍贵的礼物；拆礼物；和小朋友一起看相册
拥抱；下午餐；看相册

再见了老师 / 怎么那么开心?


感谢信

Dear Sherilynn,

Time flies.  Ella has been with the Caring Center for almost two years.  We cannot believe she is leaving the Caring Center in a couple of days.   As a family, we cannot say enough great things about the Center and about Linda and Dina.  The decision to leave has been a difficult one.  After much consideration, we decided to give Ella the opportunity to go to a xx school.  We are hoping Claire, Ella’s younger sister, will join the Center next year.  Hope Claire will become a student of Dina and Linda as well.  This tells how much we love it here and how much we love the teachers.  

When Ella joined two years ago, she was barely one year old.  The first few months were extremely tough for us.  Ella got very sick – fever, diarrhea, and the terrible H1N1.   We stayed in the hospital a couple of times.  We felt so painful, seeing her weight dropping to her six-month level.  We were at a loss and decided to withdraw Ella from the Center.  Marisol, her teacher at that time, suggested we give Ella more time at the Center.  That casual conversation changed our mind.  When we look back today, we are thankful that conversation happened.  It was the right decision to have Ella stay.  She has since then been flourishing in the nurturing environment created by the Caring Center.

As new parents we often encountered challenging problems.  We feel grateful to have the resources at the Caring Center.  The teachers here are knowledgeable, patient, and caring.  Even Erika offered to provide recipes to us when we told her Ella didn’t eat well at home.  We feel warm everyday when we get into the Center, because every teacher knows every kid. 

We feel especially thankful to Linda and Dina.  We absolutely love them and the toddlers class.  Linda and Dina are always very warm and verbal.  They communicate in an open and timely fashion.  They hear and understand our concerns and make sure they address these concerns.  Linda and Dina are also very diligent.  We appreciate they upload school pictures and prepare newsletters and email communications to parents on a regular basis.  They took lots of effort in preparing detailed document for our parent-teacher conferences and shared with us their in-depth observations about Ella.  Their hard work means a lot for us – to be able to know what is happening with our kids on a day to day basis and stay assured.   We have seen Ella blossom in the toddlers class.  She has put on lots of weight, grown taller, and learned new vocabulary and songs.  She can count numbers, and she can even do Yoga! :)

I think the foundation of their excellent job is that they really care about these toddlers and they love their job.  Lisa joined the staff later.  We love her as well.  She is patient, energetic, and friendly with toddlers as well.  The staff, the philosophy, and the infrastructure of the Center have made it a great place for kids. 

Thanks again for the wonderful two years Ella has spent at the Caring Center.  I am sure you will see us dropping off and picking up Claire next year. 
Best Regards,