Welcome to school year 2018-19. I am so excited to start blogging about my adventures this year! I am so excited to be in a new school district, Round Rock ISD!
I thought I'd start with an introduction about some great ways to connect with those wide-eyed kindergartners who are, usually, either ecstatic to be at school, or petrified. Poor babies. Some of them just need a big bear hug, or in my case, a Franny hug. Franny is my therapy pug, my sidekick, my partner in counseling. She provides a great warmth and comfort to all students, but especially those in need of a snuggle.
Let's discuss kindergartners. Those precious little balls of energy between the ages of 5 and 6 who need extra love and attention during their transition from preschool or home with mom, to the big leagues. Today I'm going to focus on those little guys (and gals) who are the anxious type. You know who I'm talking about right? The ones who are crying, hiding behind their mom's leg holding on for dear life? Ya, those kids. As the parent of an anxious child myself, I have to say that no matter how many "The Night Before Kindergarten..." books you read to your child, or how many times you tell them how much fun it's going to be, or how nice their teacher is, or even how excited they may THINK they are the night before, it doesn't prevent the anxious child from flipping out on the FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN (GASP!). Here's the thing: everyone, from the youngest child to the oldest adult, experiences anxiety or fear at one time or another. Anxiety doesn't feel good, but is it necessary and IT IS NORMAL in small children, especially. Dealing with anxieties can prepare our little munchkins to handle normal, unsettling, uncomfortable challenges that ( inevitably) come throughout life. Kids ages 4-6 experience anxiety for a range of reasons but most commonly their fears are not based in reality. This is because during these years the brain is busy building creative genius in our little guys and gals, and so they sort live in, well, a fantasy world. Let's just call it what it is. Ever wonder why all the sudden your child wants to leave the light on at bedtime because there are "monsters" under his bed? Thank his creative brain ( or curse it, whichever you prefer). By the way, recognizing that your child's fear is legitimate to the child is an important part of the developmental nurturing process, and you can help alleviate that fear by coming up with your own creative extinction mechanisms. For instance, when my son sees a "monster" in his room, I ask him to point it out to me, and then I go all Mama Bear on that "monster" (picture me doing karate chops and high kicks in order to drive the monster away...that's right monster, you don't mess with this mama or this kid!). If your child is screaming, throwing a tantrum, gagging, throwing up, feigning illness....any number of these are ways that your child will test you, as their parent, to see how much they can push you. These symptoms are legitimate signs of anxiety, but that doesn't mean you can take your child home... It's hard, but you need to be strong for your child. It is necessary for them to go to school. That is a fact. They will be okay. That is also a fact. Below, I've listed some typical anxious symptoms that will likely present themselves at one point or another during your child's early years.
Do you feel like a horrible mom or pop if you left your child crying in his kindergarten room? Of course you might, but that doesn't mean you ARE. You are helping your child to grow and to flourish with each new ( albeit scary) life experience. I like to think about the Disney movie "Finding Nemo" when I think about anxiety, because sometimes we, as parents can act just like Marlin ( if you haven't seen Finding Nemo, A: you need to see it and B: Marlin is Nemo's nervous daddy)..."No Nemo...don't swim out that far! You're too little!" and sometimes our kids need to get through their anxiety and, like Dory sings "just keep swimming, just keep swimming!" Here's the MOST IMPORTANT PIECE TO TAKE AWAY FROM THIS POST....you ready???......
YOUR CHILD WILL BE OKAY! and so will you. Eventually.
I thought I'd start with an introduction about some great ways to connect with those wide-eyed kindergartners who are, usually, either ecstatic to be at school, or petrified. Poor babies. Some of them just need a big bear hug, or in my case, a Franny hug. Franny is my therapy pug, my sidekick, my partner in counseling. She provides a great warmth and comfort to all students, but especially those in need of a snuggle.
Let's discuss kindergartners. Those precious little balls of energy between the ages of 5 and 6 who need extra love and attention during their transition from preschool or home with mom, to the big leagues. Today I'm going to focus on those little guys (and gals) who are the anxious type. You know who I'm talking about right? The ones who are crying, hiding behind their mom's leg holding on for dear life? Ya, those kids. As the parent of an anxious child myself, I have to say that no matter how many "The Night Before Kindergarten..." books you read to your child, or how many times you tell them how much fun it's going to be, or how nice their teacher is, or even how excited they may THINK they are the night before, it doesn't prevent the anxious child from flipping out on the FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN (GASP!). Here's the thing: everyone, from the youngest child to the oldest adult, experiences anxiety or fear at one time or another. Anxiety doesn't feel good, but is it necessary and IT IS NORMAL in small children, especially. Dealing with anxieties can prepare our little munchkins to handle normal, unsettling, uncomfortable challenges that ( inevitably) come throughout life. Kids ages 4-6 experience anxiety for a range of reasons but most commonly their fears are not based in reality. This is because during these years the brain is busy building creative genius in our little guys and gals, and so they sort live in, well, a fantasy world. Let's just call it what it is. Ever wonder why all the sudden your child wants to leave the light on at bedtime because there are "monsters" under his bed? Thank his creative brain ( or curse it, whichever you prefer). By the way, recognizing that your child's fear is legitimate to the child is an important part of the developmental nurturing process, and you can help alleviate that fear by coming up with your own creative extinction mechanisms. For instance, when my son sees a "monster" in his room, I ask him to point it out to me, and then I go all Mama Bear on that "monster" (picture me doing karate chops and high kicks in order to drive the monster away...that's right monster, you don't mess with this mama or this kid!). If your child is screaming, throwing a tantrum, gagging, throwing up, feigning illness....any number of these are ways that your child will test you, as their parent, to see how much they can push you. These symptoms are legitimate signs of anxiety, but that doesn't mean you can take your child home... It's hard, but you need to be strong for your child. It is necessary for them to go to school. That is a fact. They will be okay. That is also a fact. Below, I've listed some typical anxious symptoms that will likely present themselves at one point or another during your child's early years.
Some signs that a child may be anxious about something may include:
- becoming clingy, impulsive, or distracted
- nervous movements, such as temporary twitches
- problems getting to sleep and/or staying asleep longer than usual
- sweaty hands
- accelerated heart rate and breathing
- nausea (or even vomiting, like my kid)
- headaches
- stomachaches
Your child's first day of school is monumental! They are no longer a baby or a toddler, but a bonified "big kid." While it is exciting, it is also a naturally stressful time for children as well as some parents. Good organization and planning can be helpful, as well as an open dialogue with your child weeks before the start of their first day. Picking out special school supplies can be a fun way to make this time more exciting and less scary, but ultimately, if you have an anxious child, the best way to help them thrive is to allow them time to adjust.
Do you feel like a horrible mom or pop if you left your child crying in his kindergarten room? Of course you might, but that doesn't mean you ARE. You are helping your child to grow and to flourish with each new ( albeit scary) life experience. I like to think about the Disney movie "Finding Nemo" when I think about anxiety, because sometimes we, as parents can act just like Marlin ( if you haven't seen Finding Nemo, A: you need to see it and B: Marlin is Nemo's nervous daddy)..."No Nemo...don't swim out that far! You're too little!" and sometimes our kids need to get through their anxiety and, like Dory sings "just keep swimming, just keep swimming!" Here's the MOST IMPORTANT PIECE TO TAKE AWAY FROM THIS POST....you ready???......
YOUR CHILD WILL BE OKAY! and so will you. Eventually.
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