Ryann doesn't transition well. Never has. Even when she was a tiny, tiny newborn she would become inconsolable if something in her environment changed too quickly. She's been having regular visits with her dad for over six months now and the transitions between houses still throw her for a loop. I try to be understanding of her needs and keep a routine and it helps keep her temper from flaring and those tears of frustration from shedding. But I have a secret...
I don't transition well either.
I'm amazingly excited and proud that Ryann will be starting Montessori school soon. Excited because she will have so many new experiences and proud because even though the transition will likely take a bit of getting used to, I know she can do it. It's going to be an amazing journey and I'm so glad we get to be on it!
But I'm also dreading the change in routine for both of us. Instead of waking up and getting ready by myself in the mornings, I'll have to wake up my little gremlin early so she has time for breakfast and hair brushings and the like before school. And she truly is a little gremlin when you wake her up too early. "MOM! I need to sleep!" *grumble, grumble under the covers* I can't imagine what it will be like waking her up when she is 16.
One of the magical things about having a Gigi (also known as my mom) is that you can wisk a sleeping babe into the car at 7 a.m. still in her PJs and groggy and know that she will be taken care of, dressed and fed at Gigi's house for the day. This doesn't happen every day I work, but it does happen and it has been so very nice to not have to wake an overtired, perfectionist toddler early on those days you just know aren't going to go right. And there are those days. When the only thing she wants to wear doesn't match, she can't stand the sight of a comb and the only food she wants to eat isn't in the house. I dread having to drag her kicking and screaming to school on those days.
A couple weeks ago Ryann declared, "purple is my favorite color!" in that way that lets you know that THIS time she really means it. And she did. "Purple is my favorite color" has become a mantra. Everything must be purple. She wants purple eggs for breakfast. Purple towels after her bath. Purple walls in our room. Purple everything. Unfortunately, within Ryann's overflowing closet lies only one purple shirt. One.
It's tie-dye and it's two sizes too big.
I'm already planning on hiding it before school starts.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Cute! :) If it makes you feel any better, there were many times when my students showed up for school in their PJs, or with messed up hair, or a half-eaten bagel in their hand. The best thing you can do is set an alarm or use a sand clock so she can see time is passing. Then, when the alarm rings or the sand runs out, it's time to go to school whether she's ready or not. Wake her up extra early and prompt her every step of the way (a picture flow chart also helps, as do limited choices), but be sure that you'll have snafoo's along the way! Don't worry, in a year she'll be a completely different child (4 is a magical age) and your problems will be over (replaced by others, of course). Good luck and keep us posted! :)
ReplyDeleteOh, you just reminded me that I have some printable cards with the steps of a morning routine somewhere on my computer! I downloaded them months ago cause they were darn cute, I'll have to find them!
ReplyDeleteShe starts school September 7 so I'm going to start more regimented mornings now so she has some time to get used to it. Tonight before bed I told her that in the morning she was going to eat breakfast, brush her teeth and hair and get dressed before going to Gigi's and she actually laughed and said, "That's not going to happen..." Oh my, I have my work cut out for me! lol
aw! glad to hear things are getting better. As for the purple - she and I would get along great! I LOVE purple and have way too much of it for both my and my girls! :) lol
ReplyDeleteOf course, now my littlest is loving yellow....and dresses....and she has NO yellow dresses. So I'm going to try to make one out of a cheap shirt! (the store didn't even have a yellow dress! yes...I looked...lol!)