Today Gleek had a tantrum over departing for school. Partly the problem was miscommunication between Howard and I over whether she is allowed to take toys in the car for the to-school trip. Howard ended up taking Kiki to school and swinging back by to pick up Gleek. After he left with Kiki, Gleek curled up on my bed into a little ball. “I don’t like school.” she told me in a small sad voice. “People call me crybaby.” I wanted so much to snuggle her into my lap and make it all better, but when I reached for her she fled from me. She didn’t flee far, she didn’t want to be held, but she didn’t want to be alone either. I asked her if there was anything else that she didn’t like about school. Apparently one day she was teased that the clothes she was wearing weren’t clothes at all, but pajamas. Also she doesn’t much like circle time. She says it is boring. I then asked what she likes about school. She brightened up for this part. She told about a girl who makes her laugh.
Trying to encourage this positive train of thought, I mentioned a project her class is working on. That was a huge error. It turns out that the project is supposed to be a surprise for me and for Howard. I’d seen the surprise and that seemed the end of everything for Gleek. She cried inconsolably while I racked my brain trying to think of a way to make things better. Inspiration hit, I grabbed Kiki and Link’s versions of this same project and showed them to Gleek. I told her how I was really looking forward to her project being done because then I could hang it on the wall with the one Kiki had done and the one that Link had done. We compared the two finished projects with hers which is in process. Then we quickly put the projects away so that it can still be a surprise for Howard.
Leaving for school was still hard for Gleek. I know that school is a hard place for her to be. She has to work very hard to control herself and follow rules while she is there. I also know that there are things about it that she really enjoys and loves. I know how she feels, because parenting is the same way every single day.