Dear Parker,
I have to admit that lately I've been sometimes wishing that you were more like other kids about some things. That makes me seem like a terrible Mommy (maybe I am.) I just get frustrated sometimes when I watch all the other kids just give their parents a hug and go play in the morning at school or say goodnight and go to sleep at night. This afternoon I was reminded of just how amazing, wonderful, smart and cute you are!
I got to school to get you and when I arrived you were all dancing and playing instruments. Ms. Tanya said that you had just finished pretending you were in a marching band and that you loved that. She then went on to say that you had an amazing day. She thought your social skills were outstanding and that even the therapist who had been there earlier in the day to work with one of the other kids commented on how great your social skills were - that you were caring and empathetic and just knew how to deal with situations. I was so proud of you. We often get told how smart and cute you are (which IS true) but no one has ever told us that they were impressed with the way you acted with other kids.
So, I'm sorry for being a little frustrated sometimes. I love you tremendously and am so proud of you. (And I was before this afternoon - it just reminded me of how amazing you really are.)
I love you bits,
Mommy
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Sad
Dear Parker,
We have been struggling with getting you to bed since we moved to this house. Before we moved, we would snuggle for 10 minutes and then you would go to bed. Then we moved and everything went out the window. First, you would only sleep on the floor. Then you wanted to sleep in our bed. Then you would sleep in your own bed, but needed someone to stay in the room with you until you fell asleep. This is where we are stuck. Sometimes, it's fine. You fall asleep within 10 minutes. Sometimes it is fine because you let me leave and you just put yourself to sleep. Sometimes it is NOT fine because you are afraid of various things - monsters, tigers, witches and get very afraid when we leave the room. Sometimes it is NOT fine because you just want to cuddle with me, but you can't fall asleep. That was tonight. It's so frustrating for me to lay in bed with you for over an hour while you just stare. I feel like I put off doing all the things I have to do so that I can play with you after school. Then, you take away all the time I should have after you go to bed as well. I know that I shouldn't get frustrated with you, but I do. I'm working on it. But then, you will say things like, "Mommy, you make me sad when you yell at me." This kills me mostly because I am NOT yelling at you. I am just not being super polite and saying 'please' and 'thank you' when I've politely asked you to do the right thing a million times. But then I'm conflicted because you look genuinely sad and I don't want to make you sad - ever.
I dunno. I just want you to know that I love you. I'm trying to be better and I never want to make you sad.
I love you. More than you will ever know. I'm excited for your birthday!
Love
Mommy
We have been struggling with getting you to bed since we moved to this house. Before we moved, we would snuggle for 10 minutes and then you would go to bed. Then we moved and everything went out the window. First, you would only sleep on the floor. Then you wanted to sleep in our bed. Then you would sleep in your own bed, but needed someone to stay in the room with you until you fell asleep. This is where we are stuck. Sometimes, it's fine. You fall asleep within 10 minutes. Sometimes it is fine because you let me leave and you just put yourself to sleep. Sometimes it is NOT fine because you are afraid of various things - monsters, tigers, witches and get very afraid when we leave the room. Sometimes it is NOT fine because you just want to cuddle with me, but you can't fall asleep. That was tonight. It's so frustrating for me to lay in bed with you for over an hour while you just stare. I feel like I put off doing all the things I have to do so that I can play with you after school. Then, you take away all the time I should have after you go to bed as well. I know that I shouldn't get frustrated with you, but I do. I'm working on it. But then, you will say things like, "Mommy, you make me sad when you yell at me." This kills me mostly because I am NOT yelling at you. I am just not being super polite and saying 'please' and 'thank you' when I've politely asked you to do the right thing a million times. But then I'm conflicted because you look genuinely sad and I don't want to make you sad - ever.
I dunno. I just want you to know that I love you. I'm trying to be better and I never want to make you sad.
I love you. More than you will ever know. I'm excited for your birthday!
Love
Mommy
Monday, August 22, 2011
Looking up?
Dear Parker,
You had a terrible drop-off this morning. There was lots of crying and not a great deal of sympathy. All day long I worked on my "speech" and researched other daycares. I was ready to request that you be moved to a different room or pull you and go somewhere else. However, the powers that be intervened and when your Mom picked you up, she found out that your teacher had resigned. So, while I am sorry that she wasn't enjoying her job, I am very relieved. You will be spending at least the next couple of weeks with people you know and like and I'm hopeful that any new teacher will be a better fit with you than the last one.
I like it when things work out.
I love you,
Mommy
You had a terrible drop-off this morning. There was lots of crying and not a great deal of sympathy. All day long I worked on my "speech" and researched other daycares. I was ready to request that you be moved to a different room or pull you and go somewhere else. However, the powers that be intervened and when your Mom picked you up, she found out that your teacher had resigned. So, while I am sorry that she wasn't enjoying her job, I am very relieved. You will be spending at least the next couple of weeks with people you know and like and I'm hopeful that any new teacher will be a better fit with you than the last one.
I like it when things work out.
I love you,
Mommy
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Struggles
Dear Parker,
You are having a hard time right now. When you started going back to school, you had been doing pretty well. Sometimes you cried in the morning, but then the rest of your day would be good. Then, the "real" school year began and you got a new teacher. Now things are not going well at all. You tell us that you don't like her and you spend a good part of your day crying. To make matters more complicated, you have been sick with a beginning-of-the-year cold and have been having a crazy reaction to some bug bites. So, you missed 1.5 days of school last week, which doesn't help. I don't know what to do or how to make this better for you. Honestly, I don't really like your new teacher that much either, but it's not like there is anything wrong with her. I don't know what to do or how to help you. I don't know whether I'm being an over-protective crazy parent if I pull you from her room if things don't start getting better or if that really is the best thing for you. I don't know what I should be expecting from you at almost 3. It's not like this you are in Kindergarten. It's 3 year old pre-school.
I just hope you know that I love you more than anything and we'll get this figured out. I'm hoping that you start feeling better and that helps to improve your time at school.
I love you, baby.
Love,
Mommy
You are having a hard time right now. When you started going back to school, you had been doing pretty well. Sometimes you cried in the morning, but then the rest of your day would be good. Then, the "real" school year began and you got a new teacher. Now things are not going well at all. You tell us that you don't like her and you spend a good part of your day crying. To make matters more complicated, you have been sick with a beginning-of-the-year cold and have been having a crazy reaction to some bug bites. So, you missed 1.5 days of school last week, which doesn't help. I don't know what to do or how to make this better for you. Honestly, I don't really like your new teacher that much either, but it's not like there is anything wrong with her. I don't know what to do or how to help you. I don't know whether I'm being an over-protective crazy parent if I pull you from her room if things don't start getting better or if that really is the best thing for you. I don't know what I should be expecting from you at almost 3. It's not like this you are in Kindergarten. It's 3 year old pre-school.
I just hope you know that I love you more than anything and we'll get this figured out. I'm hoping that you start feeling better and that helps to improve your time at school.
I love you, baby.
Love,
Mommy
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
First Day of Pre-School
Dear Parker,
Today was your first day of Pre-School. I've been a bit sad - not because you are going to pre-school, but because today wasn't really any more special than any other day of day care last year. And, technically, pre-school curriculum won't start until the 15th, but we still treated it like the first day of school. Anyway, you had a good day. You didn't cry when we left, although you did have to go with a teacher that you knew (there was a sub in your room - great timing, huh?). But, you spent the whole day in the Pre-School 1 room and did well. I can't wait for the school year to begin. It will be much better - 9 kids (not 20) and mostly kids you know. That will be great.
You are great and such a big girl. It was awesome to have you wake up and (mostly) dress yourself while we finished getting around. I'm having a hard time understanding that you are going to be 3 really soon! Where has the time gone? I love you so much and I'm so proud of the little girl you are becoming (well, most of the time!)
I love you. I hope you have a good day tomorrow as well. I'll be thinking of you all day.
Love,
Mommy
Monday, August 1, 2011
Pre-School Prep
Dear Parker,
This morning we went to your school to re-familiarize you with the building and to get a feel for your new room. I can't believe that you are going to be in pre-school next year! You are still pretty shy and clingy in new situations and even though you know your teacher and some of the kids, you were fairly shy. But, you wanted to stay for awhile, so we did. You sat on the mat nicely and waited while the other crazy kids were trying to follow directions.
Teaching younger kids the last couple of years has given me a different perspective on you and the way you work with other kids. In every room, there are always a couple of REALLY good kids who follow the directions and do the right things. I always feel bad for these kids because, inevitably, they are surrounded by goofballs who can't follow directions and then they have to wait for those kids to get it together before doing something. Watching you today, made me understand that you (at least right now) are one of those REALLY good kids. You sat on that mat for a least 5 minutes waiting for the other crazies to get it together. I felt so bad. I know that being patient and learning to deal with others is part of life and I understand that you need to learn it. But, the mommy part of me is just sad about it.
At one point, Miss Valerie was assigning centers to everyone (by asking what the kid wanted and then letting them go there). You had been waiting a while and you turned to me and said, "I want trains." I was totally taken back to being younger and all the crazy things I stressed about in my head like that. I don't like to think of you worrying about things like not getting to play with the trains or losing your hat or any of the other crazy things that I know I worried about when I was little. I don't know how to help you not worry about those little things.
I understand that I can't protect you and be there when other kids steal your toys or push you in line, but I want to. You're growing up and I'm just having a hard time with it.
I love you so much and I'm so hopeful that you are going to have a great year in Pre-School. You have been so grown-up lately and I'm so proud of you, but also a little sad to see my baby go.
I love you, not-so babygirl,
Mommy
This morning we went to your school to re-familiarize you with the building and to get a feel for your new room. I can't believe that you are going to be in pre-school next year! You are still pretty shy and clingy in new situations and even though you know your teacher and some of the kids, you were fairly shy. But, you wanted to stay for awhile, so we did. You sat on the mat nicely and waited while the other crazy kids were trying to follow directions.
Teaching younger kids the last couple of years has given me a different perspective on you and the way you work with other kids. In every room, there are always a couple of REALLY good kids who follow the directions and do the right things. I always feel bad for these kids because, inevitably, they are surrounded by goofballs who can't follow directions and then they have to wait for those kids to get it together before doing something. Watching you today, made me understand that you (at least right now) are one of those REALLY good kids. You sat on that mat for a least 5 minutes waiting for the other crazies to get it together. I felt so bad. I know that being patient and learning to deal with others is part of life and I understand that you need to learn it. But, the mommy part of me is just sad about it.
At one point, Miss Valerie was assigning centers to everyone (by asking what the kid wanted and then letting them go there). You had been waiting a while and you turned to me and said, "I want trains." I was totally taken back to being younger and all the crazy things I stressed about in my head like that. I don't like to think of you worrying about things like not getting to play with the trains or losing your hat or any of the other crazy things that I know I worried about when I was little. I don't know how to help you not worry about those little things.
I understand that I can't protect you and be there when other kids steal your toys or push you in line, but I want to. You're growing up and I'm just having a hard time with it.
I love you so much and I'm so hopeful that you are going to have a great year in Pre-School. You have been so grown-up lately and I'm so proud of you, but also a little sad to see my baby go.
I love you, not-so babygirl,
Mommy
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