fuck it. the wolves can raise you.

[gfrancie]

Yesterday I had to pick up Senor Onion from preschool a bit early. He didn't want to clean up and that he would rather go home. His teacher decided to hold him to it and I do believe that thoroughly surprised Senor Onion.
Yes. Another episode of the sucky side of being a parent. *cues theme music*
It seems that he has been having an outburst when there is the transition from circle time to free choice play. So we are trying to figure out what his problem is. He will become contrary and say, "I DON'T WANT TO PLAY!" I don't know if the transition is freaking him out, or if this is some attempt at controlling a situation..
His teacher is going to take notes and see what she can observe along with the assistant teacher.
You think things are going okay and then you realize that no... things are not okay. I have to figure out if it is something I am doing wrong or what. Examine what is going on at home that might bring about this behavior. Is his actually freaked out about the impending move, are we approaching things the wrong way. Blah blah blah suckity parent sauce.

One thing I have been able to get out of him is that last year there was the difficult child who wasn't very nice to Senor Onion and I know that it made free-choice play kind of stressful for him. (Senor Onion and the difficult child had a relationship that wasn't fun for anyone) On occasion we would run into the difficult child during the Summer at the playground and the kid would be such an asshole and say things like, "well look it's Senor Onion. Are you going to be BAD???" And we saw this same child at a birthday party on Friday and Senor Onion immediately went quiet and hid by me when he saw the kid. Thankfully the difficult child was fairly civilized and didn't bother Senor Onion. But who knows..

Comments

[sholanda.livejournal.com]

my kid always required advance warning, and still does at age 12. "in ten minutes, we are going to do x y or z" seems to help. he has trouble switching gears on demand and needs a little notice.

[gfrancie.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Senor Onion is like that as well. I suspect it is something a little more heavy than that.

[rebeccmeister.livejournal.com]

Aww, poor kiddo and poor mom. I am sure it's hard now, but the good news is that kids are resilient, and that he has people around him who really care about him and will help him cope with life's great challenges. He's pretty lucky in that respect.

[gfrancie.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Being four is a tough gig.

[cutebutpsycho99.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry to hear about all the drama. I got no advice, because honestly, I tend to ride shit out. I hope that it all works out.

[gfrancie.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Riding shit out: the policy for most.

[ms-pooka.livejournal.com]

every year in school, we manage to go through a week or two where it looks like oliver's world is just falling apart. peeing on the floor, moping around aimlessly in the classroom, bursting into tears over apparently nothing. frequently, we don't figure it out and it just magically resolves itself.

i think two years ago, it was because we came back from spring break, started his first season of soccer, and he was snack chef... all at once. he declined to be the snack chef (opting to pee and cry instead).

good luck to you. hopefully he'll move on before you even have a chance to figure him out.

[gfrancie.livejournal.com]

I hope we can get through this without a lot of problems.

[keirf.livejournal.com]

You love him, and you feed him well, and you didn't shake him as a baby I presume. So you' re already a great parent. Don't beat yourself up. He'll be fine.

I think from what I've read here that you're a great mum.

[gfrancie.livejournal.com]

Nah. I just let the rabbits sniff at him as a baby.

[my-ophelia.livejournal.com]

My thoughts exactly.

If was isn't this, it would be something else. Kids are going to go through weird phases, that even the best head shrinker couldn't figure out.

You constantly amaze me with your ability to simply be present as a parent. The fact you think about these things is leaps and bounds above most parents.

We can laugh and say "well at least he isn't peeing the bed", but really...one day...it might get to that. And that's fine too.

[emily-swank.livejournal.com]

When Peter and Jaden were little guys, two and three or so, I kept trying to take them to "reading time" at the public library. ALL the other two and three year olds sat and listened intently, but Peter and Jaden would NOT. They ran around in the library, screeching happily and insanely. They would not participate with the program. They would not listen to me. It never got better. I gave up on story time. I thought there was something wrong with me or wrong with them or both. It was very demoralizing that they were not on the same page as their peers.

I tell you that only because both of them now can sit and listen to a story for a hundred years. It was meaningless, their disinterest and my worry.

I've met Senor Onion. He's a great little chap. He probably just needs a free pug. I deliver.

[gfrancie.livejournal.com]

I had to give up on story hour because Senor Onion would just grow bored and wander away. Miss Biscuit finds it dull and wants to pull books off of the shelves.
What gets me is that you sit them down at home and they will enjoy a story. Miss Biscuit likes to sit on her bed and look at books all by herself.
Maybe Peter and Jaden just thought everyone else was dull as pants?

You know if you ever offered him a free pug he would think you were the greatest person in the entire universe.

[emily-swank.livejournal.com]

If you ever want a pug to come visit, you just say the word. He does appearances and accepts cheese as payment.

[cusackam.livejournal.com]

He's turning 5.... they do weird things at 5.

[gfrancie.livejournal.com]

oh dear. I am going to have to hide under the covers.

[sahara-harp.livejournal.com]

Everything is really okay.

[gfrancie.livejournal.com]

I hope so.

[kitschycookids.livejournal.com]

It's the truth. Jamie used to have so many problems, but we came out the other side and he's fine.

[starrynytes4me.livejournal.com]

I'd handle this problem with more wine, but sadly I think that's not a good option when you've still got another kiddo to take care of.

For the record, you have happy, healthy, smart kids. They really make the whole parenting thing look much nicer than most kids do. You guys should be proud of how you are handling things.

[gfrancie.livejournal.com]

Wine is good.

It is mostly a lot of doubting myself, hoping things are going to be all right and trying to figure out what is the best thing for each kid. A lot of making it up as we go along.