Isaac's third day at preschool
*updated 9/13, now with pictures!*
No longer do I anticipate a tear-free goodbye by tomorrow. Yesterday there were more tears than day 2, though always less than day 1. I think it will be a give-and-take for awhile, but this was perhaps to be expected given his stupid, stupid mommy never leaving him in the care of other adults.
When we pulled into the parking lot yesterday his eyes started to get a little sunken, as they do just before he cries. "Are you going to stay with me?" he asked, with tremulous lip for effect. I reminded him that no, I would not, but that I would most certainly be back to get him at 11:30, and that in the meantime he would be so busy having a great time. As I got him out of his car seat and helped him with his backpack, I heard him whispering to himself, "Cry. Cry. Cry. Cry. Cry." over and over. I didn't quite know what to make of that. Part of me thought he was steeling himself against the overwhelming emotions he was feeling. The other part of me, intimately familiar with Mr. Future Drama Major, thought he was channeling his inner thespian, trying his hardest to conjure up some waterworks. He is a bit of a card like that.
And he did cry. He wouldn't give me a kiss or a hug because he was too involved in his tear production, so I said goodbye and left without one. I wondered later if that may have been too cold-hearted for him. Next time I will do better, but at that the time I didn't think -- no, couldn't think -- because it's hard enough for me to remember to 1) sign him in and wave to a teacher, then 2) put his backpack in his cubby, and finally 3) help him put his name tag in the job basket, all while manhandling a constantly fussing 3-year-old and an 18-month-old hip fixture who suddenly wants down to sprint away towards the nearest new toy.
Regardless of his insistence every time that he wants to go, it seems that it continually gets a little easier for him once I am gone, and that he has an awesome time while he's there. Miss Susie, who again restrained him for me as I ran out the door, told me this time was his shortest recovery period ever. And when I read the September newsletter they put in his cubby for me, I was not surprised. Here is a quick summary of the things they are doing this week, also known as Safety and Citizenship week:
*Learning how to dial 911; recognizing an appropriate time to do so
*Learning about fire safety
*Playing with toy emergency vehicles on a special table with a road map on it, set up specially for this week:
*Dressing up in fireman costumes
*Reading a different book every day
*Learning a new song
*Learning a different poem every day
*Tuesday Isaac drew a beautiful picture of the sun and some colors below it:
He also made a fireman's hat, artfully filling it in with red marker. To greet us parents, the kids emerged from their circle time at the end all wearing these. It was SO cute.
*Learning how to sit in a circle and raise a hand when one wishes to talk
*Learning how to pour one's own juice and to pass around snacks
Next week, for "C" week, among other things the kids will be shucking corn and using the corn kernels instead of sand at the sand table. His teachers, they are pros, are they not?
No longer do I anticipate a tear-free goodbye by tomorrow. Yesterday there were more tears than day 2, though always less than day 1. I think it will be a give-and-take for awhile, but this was perhaps to be expected given his stupid, stupid mommy never leaving him in the care of other adults.
When we pulled into the parking lot yesterday his eyes started to get a little sunken, as they do just before he cries. "Are you going to stay with me?" he asked, with tremulous lip for effect. I reminded him that no, I would not, but that I would most certainly be back to get him at 11:30, and that in the meantime he would be so busy having a great time. As I got him out of his car seat and helped him with his backpack, I heard him whispering to himself, "Cry. Cry. Cry. Cry. Cry." over and over. I didn't quite know what to make of that. Part of me thought he was steeling himself against the overwhelming emotions he was feeling. The other part of me, intimately familiar with Mr. Future Drama Major, thought he was channeling his inner thespian, trying his hardest to conjure up some waterworks. He is a bit of a card like that.
And he did cry. He wouldn't give me a kiss or a hug because he was too involved in his tear production, so I said goodbye and left without one. I wondered later if that may have been too cold-hearted for him. Next time I will do better, but at that the time I didn't think -- no, couldn't think -- because it's hard enough for me to remember to 1) sign him in and wave to a teacher, then 2) put his backpack in his cubby, and finally 3) help him put his name tag in the job basket, all while manhandling a constantly fussing 3-year-old and an 18-month-old hip fixture who suddenly wants down to sprint away towards the nearest new toy.
Regardless of his insistence every time that he wants to go, it seems that it continually gets a little easier for him once I am gone, and that he has an awesome time while he's there. Miss Susie, who again restrained him for me as I ran out the door, told me this time was his shortest recovery period ever. And when I read the September newsletter they put in his cubby for me, I was not surprised. Here is a quick summary of the things they are doing this week, also known as Safety and Citizenship week:
*Learning how to dial 911; recognizing an appropriate time to do so
*Learning about fire safety
*Playing with toy emergency vehicles on a special table with a road map on it, set up specially for this week:
*Dressing up in fireman costumes
*Reading a different book every day
*Learning a new song
*Learning a different poem every day
*Tuesday Isaac drew a beautiful picture of the sun and some colors below it:
He also made a fireman's hat, artfully filling it in with red marker. To greet us parents, the kids emerged from their circle time at the end all wearing these. It was SO cute.
*Learning how to sit in a circle and raise a hand when one wishes to talk
*Learning how to pour one's own juice and to pass around snacks
Next week, for "C" week, among other things the kids will be shucking corn and using the corn kernels instead of sand at the sand table. His teachers, they are pros, are they not?
posted by Claire at 9:50 PM
4 Comments:
I think you are doing an awesome job and I KNOW how hard it is.
Connor is now at 3 days screaming at school and 2 days with no screaming. I hope that the no screaming days prevail soon.
:)
Sounds like a blast!! and that perhaps the 3rd day crying was more cause he wanted to continue the vibe than actually deeply feeling it.
Unfortunately, we are dealing with the tears on this end too. It breaks my heart. I hope, hope, hope that they get used to the preschool thing sooner rather than later! Too cute, though, with Jake wanting to get off the hip to play. Of all times!!! Murphy's Law I guess!
~Lynn
Ryan went through a phase last year at Sunday school where he cried when we left him even though he has been going to Sunday school since he was a baby. I think some kids go through another seperation anxiety phase around 3. He was always playing happily when we picked him up.
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