A Tale of Two Story Times
On Tuesday we went to the library mid morning. Our library has a pretty good kids program, but actually I had forgotten about that that morning, I just knew that Grady liked playing with the books and sitting in the chairs that are just his size and tables just his size.
So when we got there and it was story time, I said sure, we'll take a ticket and go sit down.
MISTAKE.
He hated it. He wanted to leave as soon as we got there and cried and wouldn't sing any songs (this isn't your grandmother's story time) or play any games or watch the ladies leading the group. Moms were giving me hate stares. Which, ladies, can I just say, how not kind of you.
Eventually he was trying to open the door and one of the other kids took an interest too and then I had to say we were done. I couldn't have him getting the other kids in trouble.
But it was just a bad morning and he was crying and hated it and I felt certain that he would never be able to participate in group activities or story time because he was a spoiled child of a stay at home mom who had ruined him by not taking him to every gymboree class and baby music session that everyone offered for the low premium price of $25 a class. I stay home to save money, not spend it. Sheesh.
And I promised myself we would go back every day (Tuesday and Thursdays) until he did well. Until he sang the songs and sat like a good boy.
But with some corrections.
Story time is 45 minutes long. That requires juice and a snack. And, I will not attempt the 11AM class again (too close to lunch). So today, being Thursday, we went for the 10AM class. I went early, so he could play with the felt board in the corner and the chairs first and find a book, and then we lined up with the other kids (another skill he needs to learn) to go into story time.
Sooo much better. He filed in and we sat in the back (just in case) and he sat down and ate his fruit snacks and had his juice and listened as the man played his guitar and sang (his favorite part). He didn't pay attention the whole time (none of the kids did) and he didn't like it when the lights went out and stayed out for the puppet show, but I just stood up and held him and he watched the dog puppets and then sang the goodbye song and that was that.
Success.
I'm sure we will still meltdown on other occassions. But I think Thursdays at 10 we will make it a point to be at story time. I did sign him up for an art class next month, with a friend of ours, and I'm hoping that sort of thing helps too (I'm trying to prep him a little for school). I was going to try Gymboree but that's half the price of preschool and I just can't justify it. Not right now. He will need swim lessons too so I may do that this summer and that will help as well.
It is hard to be in a class or with a group and have the kid that won't behave. And women just look at you like, what's wrong with your kid. Not all women, naturally, but in story time on Tuesday there was one, that just looked at me like, can't you control him? And I feel like saying to her, You know, some day your easily controled kid will work for my more ambitious kid. So there. Which may or may not be true and if it is or is not it will not be based on how well either kid did at story time on one day.
But as such, ladies, please don't be so mean. It's my kid today but tomorrow it might be yours. And I promise if it is, I will smile at you and shrug. Because kids are kids and sometimes they don't want to do what you want them to. I have yet to meet a child who didn't fuss and whine at some point and that doesn't mean they are bad kids ... it just means they are having a bad day and don't know how to appropriately deal with it yet. So give them, and their mothers, some slack. K, thanks.
So when we got there and it was story time, I said sure, we'll take a ticket and go sit down.
MISTAKE.
He hated it. He wanted to leave as soon as we got there and cried and wouldn't sing any songs (this isn't your grandmother's story time) or play any games or watch the ladies leading the group. Moms were giving me hate stares. Which, ladies, can I just say, how not kind of you.
Eventually he was trying to open the door and one of the other kids took an interest too and then I had to say we were done. I couldn't have him getting the other kids in trouble.
But it was just a bad morning and he was crying and hated it and I felt certain that he would never be able to participate in group activities or story time because he was a spoiled child of a stay at home mom who had ruined him by not taking him to every gymboree class and baby music session that everyone offered for the low premium price of $25 a class. I stay home to save money, not spend it. Sheesh.
And I promised myself we would go back every day (Tuesday and Thursdays) until he did well. Until he sang the songs and sat like a good boy.
But with some corrections.
Story time is 45 minutes long. That requires juice and a snack. And, I will not attempt the 11AM class again (too close to lunch). So today, being Thursday, we went for the 10AM class. I went early, so he could play with the felt board in the corner and the chairs first and find a book, and then we lined up with the other kids (another skill he needs to learn) to go into story time.
Sooo much better. He filed in and we sat in the back (just in case) and he sat down and ate his fruit snacks and had his juice and listened as the man played his guitar and sang (his favorite part). He didn't pay attention the whole time (none of the kids did) and he didn't like it when the lights went out and stayed out for the puppet show, but I just stood up and held him and he watched the dog puppets and then sang the goodbye song and that was that.
Success.
I'm sure we will still meltdown on other occassions. But I think Thursdays at 10 we will make it a point to be at story time. I did sign him up for an art class next month, with a friend of ours, and I'm hoping that sort of thing helps too (I'm trying to prep him a little for school). I was going to try Gymboree but that's half the price of preschool and I just can't justify it. Not right now. He will need swim lessons too so I may do that this summer and that will help as well.
It is hard to be in a class or with a group and have the kid that won't behave. And women just look at you like, what's wrong with your kid. Not all women, naturally, but in story time on Tuesday there was one, that just looked at me like, can't you control him? And I feel like saying to her, You know, some day your easily controled kid will work for my more ambitious kid. So there. Which may or may not be true and if it is or is not it will not be based on how well either kid did at story time on one day.
But as such, ladies, please don't be so mean. It's my kid today but tomorrow it might be yours. And I promise if it is, I will smile at you and shrug. Because kids are kids and sometimes they don't want to do what you want them to. I have yet to meet a child who didn't fuss and whine at some point and that doesn't mean they are bad kids ... it just means they are having a bad day and don't know how to appropriately deal with it yet. So give them, and their mothers, some slack. K, thanks.
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