So Sam started preschool on Sept. 3d. It's MWF, 9-11:30 at a lady's home in Jackson. There are 6 other kids in his class, all pros at preschool and daycare. Today was his 6th time going, and the last 3-4 times that I've dropped him off he cries and begs me not to leave. EVERY time I pick him up he is ecstatic and says how much he loves preschool and hugs his teacher. But every time I drop him off he is bawling!
I know this will get better in time. Even if it's months. He IS a stubborn kid...
But what experience or ideas do all you bloggers out there have for me? What can I say or do to make this transition and adjustment easier? We already put all his projects on a wall at home, which he is very proud of, and today seemed excited (BEFORE we got there) to add another project to his wall.
This is their playtime room. By the way, I believe the MAIN problem he is having is that when he is at school he is no longer "in control" of what he does with his time. He has a hard time transitioning from one activity to another if he likes what he's doing. Like those bowling pins up there in the picture? Could spend an HOUR just with those pins.
He's always been with me, altho I don't think he's an extraordinarily clingy kid. He just likes to do what he wants to do when he wants to do it. And I think he knows that when he's with ME, he gets to do what HE wants to do. Not that I let him play with knives and guns and paint the couch. Our whole summer was just about going to parks and letting him dress up like a superhero every day. Hmm. Parenting is tricky.
So Sam started preschool on Sept. 3d. It's MWF, 9-11:30 at a lady's home in Jackson. There are 6 other kids in his class, all pros at preschool and daycare. Today was his 6th time going, and the last 3-4 times that I've dropped him off he cries and begs me not to leave. EVERY time I pick him up he is ecstatic and says how much he loves preschool and hugs his teacher. But every time I drop him off he is bawling!
I know this will get better in time. Even if it's months. He IS a stubborn kid...
But what experience or ideas do all you bloggers out there have for me? What can I say or do to make this transition and adjustment easier? We already put all his projects on a wall at home, which he is very proud of, and today seemed excited (BEFORE we got there) to add another project to his wall.
This is their playtime room. By the way, I believe the MAIN problem he is having is that when he is at school he is no longer "in control" of what he does with his time. He has a hard time transitioning from one activity to another if he likes what he's doing. Like those bowling pins up there in the picture? Could spend an HOUR just with those pins.
He's always been with me, altho I don't think he's an extraordinarily clingy kid. He just likes to do what he wants to do when he wants to do it. And I think he knows that when he's with ME, he gets to do what HE wants to do. Not that I let him play with knives and guns and paint the couch. Our whole summer was just about going to parks and letting him dress up like a superhero every day. Hmm. Parenting is tricky.
5 comments:
Hey, Dawna! Don't know if this will help or not, but I immediately thought of it after reading your post . . . see if you can find the book "The Kissing Hand" by Audrey Penn. It's the cutest little book about a raccoon who doesn't want to go to school, and what his mom does to help him feel better about it. Like I say, I don't know if it will help if his reasons are what you think - - but you never know! Good luck!
ooo I have that! I think my sister gave it to me and i've forgotten about it. Thanks for the suggestion. I was happy to hear when i picked him up yesterday that he only cried/whined for about 5 minutes. It keeps improving, so we're headed the right direction. last time was about 20 minutes.
Yeah! I love that book. And,I hope I don't sound like a know it all, but another thing that's worked for us is a job chart. I start when they're three (honestly, it's more work for me at first but it helps!) their jobs are simple ones, but they have to finish their "day job" (dust the living room, change a garbage bag, wipe the table - different job for each day) and a workbook page, and reading each day before they can have a snack or watch TV, or play with a friend/nintendo. That way, they always know they have to do the work first, then play. That may also help with him being told what to do at school? I don't know. Like I say, I'm really not trying to pretend I know everything, or that I'm mother of the year, but it's worked pretty well! Love ya!
You are doing fine. Small changes are big for kids and this is a good thing for him to work on - and then come home and be with you. Lucky kid!
I have the same problem with Trinidee going to primary. She throws fits a lot of the time, but when we pick her up, she's happy and hugging her teachers also. The teacher gave her a little stuffed lamb, and she calls it "sheepy". Its her job to bring it to her teachers every Sunday. That has helped a little. But still there are some weeks where she just DOES NOT want to be there.
Thanks for posting the pics, it's fun to see Sam at his cute pre-school!
And, we want to come visit sometime this fall! I'll e-mail you sometime if that's okay.
Tia
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