4K

[Brenda]

Brandon(not ADHD) started 4K 2 weeks ago.He liked it the first week.Last friday they had a fire drill and it scared him.He cried everyday this week not wanting to go.This morning her cried so bad that he threw up in the car.His teacher had his change of clothes and told me to leave him cyring and he would stop.She said I have to show him that he didn't "win".I did but after I got to the car I went back in and got them to send someone to check on him.(I did't want him to see me).They said he was fine but I feel bad for leaving him.Maybe I should just take him out until next year.His birthday(Aug 31) is right at the cutoff(Sept 2) and he is the youngest and smallest one in his class.He doesn't have to go by law,it's just to prepare him for all day kindergarten next year.Why would he be fine for the first week and now not want to go?It's been a week since the fire alarm so he should have gotten over it by now.Is he not ready to go emotionally?

[rosyred45]

Brenda, (((((((((((((hugs))))))))))))
That's on thing that I don't like about fire drills, it scares the little ones that don't expect it or haven't experienced it.

Personally I think you should leave him in. The teacher is right abut him "winning" if you stay and putz around, he'll only end up worse.

Kids go through stages, the initial "what's this" is gone, so now it comes down to responsibility and accountability. Not to scare you, but they are learning what is expected and all of these new rules are a bit overwhelming at first.

But it'll get better, don't worry. I have plenty of experience when it comes to letting go, and your doing fine. You know it's a shame when I'm the first one to leave the kids and say HAVE FUN. And skipping off I go First time parents look at me like ARE YOU NUTS

Nope, come from a family that is very supportive. Ask how the day went when he gets home, don't apologize for leaving, that'll undermine the fact that he has to attend to something even if he doesn't like it at first. And if you start bailing him out now, he'll come to expect it later.

I hope I didn't sound too mean, If I did, I'm sorry

[catseye]

What is 4k? Is it preschool?

Anyway, my sd used to throw horrible fits, when I left her at daycare (never been an issue with my bs he is so independent!)... I left her many times crying her heart out, it was hard for me to do, but after a few weeks she did stop it, and started looking forward to daycare...

I say give it a bit more time, before making any changes...Good luck and be strong mom!

cat

[Brenda]

Of course you didn't sound mean rosyred.He is the type to throw up when upset and I guess I do give in sometimes.I know he really needs to get used to being away from me before he goes to real kindergarten.I wish they would do the fire drills after the 4k class goes home but I guess they need to learn too.Thanks.I hope it gets better.

Thanks Cat.I'm trying to be strong.He is my baby.

[rosyred45]

Aound here, you gauge how many kids a person has by how fast they leave on the first week of school

Just kidding ;)My kids have always been great about giong to school, only because if they don't go to school, they help me clean ;DSo after a few times of being "sick" they amazingly don't get sick anymore

Maybe you could talk to the teacher and see if there is a way that she could be notified in advance, so that way, when it is drill time, he can be the first of the the building.

Mikey is very sensitive when it comes to sound. So it doesn't scare him so as much hurts his ears :-/and gives him a headache.

[Linda]

Jacob cried for 2 weeks straight in kdgn....It broke my heart to leave him but i KNEW IT WAS BEST FOR HIM TO STAY...BUT...I would hang around for awhile without him knowing it and peek in his classroom and he was fine!!

Your little guy was probably trying to be a brave little "soldier" the first week and then it caught up with him!!!Does that make any sense?

[rosyred45]

Maybe it got out that this is what he would be doing for the next 13 yrs

[eaccae]

Try the next 30 years . . . when I was working - we had fire drills all the time!!! We had our volunteer "fire marshall" from each unit that would make sure we all got out safely! The fire trucks would come - sirens blaring. We even had real bomb threats (way before 9/11 - disgruntled employees) and a fire from an exploding monitor - so I guess it wasn't all in vain! Oh and college . . . I remember the fire alarm was getting pulled all the time at 5:30 am - in the SNOW when it was below zero . . . they had to put that special ink on the alarms so they could catch the culprits who were to be fined $5000 and expelled. (Don't think they ever did - it was a looooong, cooooold winter!!)

Anyway - back to the point. I wouldn't be surprised if he is anxious over the firedrill - when it is going to happen again?! That - on top of the normal getting used to preK thing. DS - who is EXTREMELY independent - would go through periods of time in which he would cry hysterically when I dropped him off. DD didn't even kiss me good bye. At DD's preschool (she was in 4 day 4's last year - full day - and she is a November baby) they don't want the parents coming in for longer than 10 minutes to get their child settled. They said it is extremely common for children to cry terribly when they get there but 99% of the time they are fine within 5 minutes after the parent leaves - they say the longer the parent stays - the harder it is. And if there is a child that is really upset - they will get someone else in to work with that child. They said sometimes it would take up to a month but for the most part they children would be okay. I remember there was one little boy that would break your heart - even though he wasn't your child! He would cry hysterically at the window long after his traumatized mom drove away - but after a month he was doing very well.

It is sooo hard. And although I think that he will ultimately be fine and that it is probably more due to the firedrill than anything - you know him the best. I would say to try it out and see how it goes - but if in your heart you don't feel he is ready - always follow your gut!

Good luck and keep us posted on how he progresses!!

[Brenda]

I picked him up at 10:30 and he said he had fun.The teacher said he quit crying after I left.I think he is getting tired of waking up early and worried about another alarm.He covers his ears when he flushes the toilet.I think he has some of Stephanie's sensory problems.I'm not a morning person and I don't think he is either.I'm going to give it a couple more weeks and see how it goes.Thanks everyone.

[rosyred45]

Like the teacher said, he stopped as soon as you left. He should be fine. Are you puttinghim to bed earlier than usual? I know it sounds like a dumb question, but my kids NEED their full 8-9 hrs of sleep or they are the moodiest , kids on the block.

Good luck and glad he's having fun. I can just picture him flushing with one hand while he's leaning his ear to his shoulder covering up the other ear.....

[sportsmom]

When Levi was 4 and going to preschool he would cry everytime I dropped him off. What I did was send something to school with him that he loved--which happen to be one of his blankies. He would keep it in his backpack and not take it out but he would be able to go his backpack just to make sure it was there. I was also wondering if the sound of the fire alarm hurt his ears. Those things are so loud and maybe he was standing closer to it then some of the other kids?? It had to a frighting experience for him to go through without his mom there so that might have upset him also?? Hopefully he will get better over time---I was also wondering about the sleep thing as well---Levi has to be in bed by 9:30 pm or he is very edgy the next day.

[rosyred45]

How's everything going?

Thought this might help you out a little to reassure you,

A little boy started K this year. He comes to the morning SACC program. Thursday and friday he kicked and screamed as his dad carried him into the library. He said he-the boy- is very into routine and takes changes in the enviornment very hard.

25 minutes later on Thursday he finally was peeled from dad so dad could go. Then I took him to the gym when it was time, I felt bad, knowing he was going to get up set, so I asked the aide if she needed me to stay, she says NOPE PRETEND HE'S YOURS, and away I went.

Friday was widdled down to 10 minutes, and no throwing up ofter getting himself worked up.

Today, 3 minutes he laid on the floor kicked and screamed, and I just stepped over him, when he realized I wasn't going to coddle him, he got off the floor and went to the legos. When we went to play in the gym this morning, he hadn't done that before so he stuck to me like a fly on Then we played with a soccar ball, and ater about 5 minutes he was off to the races.

As we went to the line as school was starting, he ran in waving to the kids. So you see, things might not be easy at first, but they get better as the kids get used to the enviornment.

Now to see what he does tomorrow, let's just wait

[Brenda]

Thanks for asking Kaiti.It is getting better.Now he just cries when they pull him away from.She said he stops 5 minutes after I leave and never complains again and has fun.I had to keep him at home today because he woke up last night coughing really bad.It sounds like a croupy cough so I might have to take him to the dr.He had RSV when he was a baby and gets real sick when he catches a cold.He gets sick alot more than Stephanie.This is the second time he has been out with a cold.I'm sure he'll cry more after missing a day or two.

[rosyred45]

Oh I hope the poor baby feels better soon so he can go play with his new friends----psttt good line to use on him ;D

[rosyred45]

Brenda, I just wanted to share:

Today when this little boy cam eto SACC in the afternoon, he ran up to me and gave me a great big hug. Then when he was about to leave, he came up to me and almost knocked me down giving me a hug. Then he lifted his head up and he was trying to give me a kiss.

That was so sweet, it made my day. One thing I can say: Find some one that he is consistant with through the uncertainty. I knwo that he has missed a few days, but when you go back, look for a specific teacher that he mentions, and visit with her. That will help alot.

Still hoping for him to feel better