When you least expect it… July 17, 2008
Posted by spacemom in : Parenting 101 , trackbackI thought we had dealt with the adjustments to moving from preschool-2 to the pre-kindergarten room for Luna. We had talked about it, we had allowed her time to deal with fears and concerns. We expressed our encouragement for her to discuss how she felt. This morning it all blew up.
First, Luna refused to take off her jammies and pull-up. Full screaming and on the floor tantrum with leg kicking and floor pounding. Finally, we convinced her that it was in her best interests (ie- she could watch TV with breakfast) to get dressed. After breakfast, I turned off the tv and let the girls know it was time to get ready for the day. Soleil jumped up and got her teeth brushed. Luna started crying and complaining that her legs hurt. I asked her to get her shoes on. The next thing I knew, she was missing.
We looked everywhere. Finally, I was getting exasperated, so I told Jay to take Soleil to her camp and I would hunt down Luna. A little voice cried out "NO!" She was in the office, hiding under the futon that we pull out as a bed for guests. It took a bit of coaxing, but we got her out and in the car.
I have a strong feeling she is still dealing with this change. Poor kiddo. Billy Joel said is best, kid, "Life is a series of Hellos and Goodbyes". You’re just starting to hit this. We all have to learn to move on and meet new people. It’s hard. But we can all do it.
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Oh, sister. Do I feel you. I change my bribes, errr encouragement, regularly. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. With the volatile nature of a 3 1/2 year old, it’s so freaking unpredictable. She goes on weekly field trips on Tuesday to the library for story hour. That worked for all of 2 weeks. Damn. New strategy for Tuesday. “I said so” hasn’t worked in so long, I choked on the dust just typing it.
We did the transition thing when they moved her from the teacher who points fingers and pokes fun class to the nice teacher who has taught her to praise others. We went through the crying again. It took one of the “big” boys (the first one to turn 4 in the class) to say, “Here’s Olivia. Watch, she’ll cry.” and she did. Then he told her she cried like a baby and it was over. I was mortified, so was his mother, but I hugged her the next day when O didn’t cry
Our reasons include: Toes hurt, legs hurt, don’t like bugs, it might rain, the sun starts on YOUR side of the car, my teachers are mean, so&so pushes, I need to work…and the list goes on and on and on. I cured the sun one by backing into the driveway in the evenings. The days she goes in covered in band aids, her teachers know it was a rough morning. The days she goes in with toothpaste still around her mouth, they know she brushed them, but wasn’t into getting it off her face. I pick and choose my battles and the dog is gaining weight with morning treats.
Good luck…
I think it’s a phase. I seem to recall similar push/pull when the dotter was that age, too. Just hang in there!