Sam has been going through a stage where he's had severe separation anxiety whenever we drop him at "school" in the morning. In the past, he'd cry a bit but by the time I was around the corner he'd stopped crying and was on to the activity of the day. Since we came back from Florida it's been different. He cries and is still crying when I wave goodbye (and thrown snowballs at the window, a bit of a new tradition) and not only that, there are times during the day when he cries because he's missing us. He gets anxious and the teachers have a hard time comforting him. When we talk about it at home he says "I cried because I was sad that you left!"
They made a necklace for him that has a family photo on it so he can look at it any time he'd like; they say that helps a bit. I decided to try a different strategy. Yesterday I asked him to make a picture for me to bring to work so I could put it on the wall. I told him that we would go to my work today and hang it up. My goal is to convince him that work is boring and he'd have a lot more fun at school than to stay with me while I worked. I warned everyone there that they weren't to give him any toys since of course toys = fun. No goodies either.
We went to work and he helped me hang the pictures he'd made. The phone rang, I had some work I was doing for someone on the computer and I basically ignored him while he drew a picture and sat around. Within 10 minutes he told me he wanted to leave.
I think he now believes that work is boring but I'm not sure I've convinced him that he's going to have more fun at school and away from me than at work and with me. Wish me luck! It's heart wrenching to have him be so miserable.
Later in the afternoon we went out for some winter fun and this time I have photographic evidence.
3 comments:
Caitlin went thru the same separation anxiety when she was three, her first year of preschool. She started the year loving it, and then about halfway thru, did not want to go even tho she loved her teacher. It will pass for sure...but is very heart wretching in the meantime.
Aww. I had to comment that I LOVE the part about your throwing snowballs at the window - hilarious!
What a testament to your mommyhood though, that he wants to be with you every minute. Just wait'll his teen years when he has decided that you're uncool and insufferable.
We went through this big time with Abbie at about the same age. It's tough, for sure. I was never very successful at heading it off, it just seemed to pass on it's own eventually. We'd have little talks before hand about how I'd be back later and we'd do something fun...etc, etc, but once the time came to leave her, it was always the same. Big help I am, right????
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