Name: Tess
Home: St. Louis
The Sunshine Room
Today, Ben continues his transition to the Sunshine Room at day care. Up until now, he has been in the Hippity Hop Room, but as a two-year-old, he needs to move up to the next classroom.
Last week, when we asked Ben about the few hours he spent in his new room, he scrunched up his face and said that kids were crying. Later, he admitted that he was the one crying. Poor kid. He loves his teachers, he loves his classmates.... Why should he want to move up just because his age changed? It's only two days a week, but for those two days, these people are his world. I'm glad that the other five days a week he's with his parents, and we'll be remaining constant.
The Sunshine Room has taken on a grim cast in my mind, as if the name is some kind of Orwellian doublespeak. I know perfectly well that even when a move presents wonderful opportunities for change and growth, sometimes you just don't want to go through with it.
movin' on up
Last week, when we asked Ben about the few hours he spent in his new room, he scrunched up his face and said that kids were crying. Later, he admitted that he was the one crying. Poor kid. He loves his teachers, he loves his classmates.... Why should he want to move up just because his age changed? It's only two days a week, but for those two days, these people are his world. I'm glad that the other five days a week he's with his parents, and we'll be remaining constant.
The Sunshine Room has taken on a grim cast in my mind, as if the name is some kind of Orwellian doublespeak. I know perfectly well that even when a move presents wonderful opportunities for change and growth, sometimes you just don't want to go through with it.
movin' on upposted by Tess | 11:29 AM
3 Comments:
Matthew is having some issues with the transition to the Toddler 2 room too. When they first started transitioning him, I guess it was a fun adventure. But then I think he started having anxiety about the more structured schedule. They also do meals a little differently in the older room. So for the past three weeks, morning drop-offs have been hell because he's so reluctant to be there. But in just the past couple of days, I've seen a lot of improvement, and his teachers have mentioned how much better he's doing.
I'm a little jealous that Ben is so verbal that he can express his anxiety so well. And I'm sure he'll adjust to the new room just fine. Change is tough on these little guys. What, if anything, does he like about the new room?
It will be easier, I bet, when other kids move on up, too.
When one of the manboys was little (I don't remember which one--selective memory, I think...) they church nursery folks wouldn't _let_ him move into the next group up because he wasn't sufficiently potty trained. I was upset because all his friends WERE moving up. He quit going in at all for awhile--sat with us in church singing, drawing and snuggling with one of us for several Sundays.
Another time one (this was manboy #1) didn't want to wear the angel wings and "halo" (a ring of tinsel on the head) in the Christmas program. He said it was "embarrassing." I felt that if he could say embarrassing at age 4 and knew how it felt I wasn't going to make him to it and warp him. It was the right decision. (He even told me so the other day 17 years later.)
:) Hh
Hannah--That's so cute about protesting over the costume!
An update: Now Ben seems to like the Sunshine Room. When I went to pick him up on Monday, he proudly showed me the fish tank, and how he washes his hands at the little sink. He seems to love the 2-year-old playground, and he keeps talking about Scarlett, a little girl who seems to be taking a special interest in him.
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