4 months later

 It's been 4 months that we moved both of our girls to a German school. I am writing this after a parent-teacher meeting with older one.

What worked - kids enthusiasm of going to new school, making new friends in the class and also in the neighbourhood, being able to go to school on their own, also to the stores to buy bread, sense of independence, their ability to outperform everyone in English giving them one area where they feel pretty strong, also a little bit of us buying few of the school-related things (the expensive bag and accessories) and clothes at the beginning of the year and having them have a smooth start with also some help from Anika their baby sitter. This year's covid lockdown and being at home and around them also helps a bit. Plus I am learning the German language too which makes them feel like I am also investing myself into this and they have an ability to teach/correct me in my language skills and see me studying for it for exams of my own.

What didn't work - us leaving most of everything on their own and only relying on their homework submission. also for Math only relying on the tables. We need to take charge and see what is being taught to them in the school and how can we help them revise and ensure that understand. Making them accountable to if they don't understand something they need to go and ask their teachers about it and bring it back to us to ensure we know they understood. As told to the teacher, they need to have a very strong foundation and hence its okay to invest 1 year for the older one by taking grade 3 instead of 4.

What do we need to do now - ensure that all of their class lessons are revised on a regular basis. We may have mistaken by employing a tutor and have her deal with their studies and not taking any responsibility for it.

It's their resilience that has helped them get through the hump so far

We could have done a bit better job in transition them, also staying in touch with their class teacher instead of only once in a while interaction. She said she is available to answer any questions from us or from them but we need to ask.

There are no additional activities for them outside of the school due to COVID no tennis and swimming.

See you next in a few!