Warning! This a request for blantant hairpats and reassurance because when you can't find either within yourself, you look to those who can (hopefully) see it.
Emeline is turning into "that" kid at school. I just got *another* phone call from her very frustrated teacher because Em won't sit still, bounces all over the place, isn't doing her work, isn't listening, etc. I missed a couple of phone calls from the teacher which, totally my bad, but she sent a note home last night that we didn't get. There is something wrong there and I've been sitting in my car and at my desk, crying, and fighting with myself about what to do. Is it an attention thing? Is this behavior coinciding with Joe and I returning to school this week? Is it too much tv? Is it not enough parental interaction in the evenings? Should we start the testing processes for ADHD or other things? Should one of us go to school with her during the day? Does one of us need to quit going to school for awhile until the other one graduates?
It doesn't seem normal 5 year old behavior anymore. It seems bigger. But I am at a complete loss as to what to do. I don't want to have *that* kid that teachers dislike because they are behavioral issues.
Aww, honey. I don't have advice for you, being neither a teacher nor a parent, but I have hairpats galore. And next weekend I can administer them in person!
{{{Aims}}}
What smonster said except for the in-person part, booo.
{{{Aims}}}
((Aimee))
Don't be too hard on yourself parenting-wise. With two kids, we see vastly different behavior despite being in the same household.
{{{Aims}}} All kinds of hairpats for you, love.
I don't want to have *that* kid that teachers dislike because they are behavioral issues.
Speaking as a teacher, I don't have kids I truly dislike. There are ones that annoy me sometimes, but I don't dislike them.
Also, you don't need to have all the answers right now.
Talk with her teacher. See what she recommends. It could totally be attention-seeking behavior. It could also be that she learns best while moving. It could be a number of things. Meet with the teacher and use that as a first step.
You can also ask Em. Why does she walk around? Is she bored? Why doesn't she listen to the teacher? Why isn't she doing her work? A simple answer could be she just doesn't want to.
Bottom line: you are not a bad mother. You are doing nothing wrong. You and Joe love Em and want the best for her.
Based on a friend's recent issues with her 3 year old, I'd say do a no-TV experiment for a set period of time (2 weeks) and see if that helps before testing for anything.
It apparently worked really well for T, and he was a different kid without screen time. (I notice a difference with Lillian, frankly, when she watches too much TV. She turns into a hyper pill. Drives me nuts.)
::hugs you::
I'm going in to see her teacher at 7:30 tomorrow morning. When she called a little bit ago, she had me talk to Emeline to remind Emeline that she was not, in fact, in clown school, but at regular school and she needed to get her shit together (my words in my head, not into the phone).
Her teacher was calling me to ask for advice as to how to handle it(and damn, do I feel like it's the karma ship come to call with my posting about the issues with my Daisy scout).
And also, Emeline lied to her! Teacher asked her if her parent's saw the note home and Emeline told her, "Oh they saw it and they don't care how I act in school."
!!!!! Totally normal for her age, but still kind of face-slappy when you hear that your own kid is doing it.
Sorry to hear about the frustrations Aims.
As for my travel it is the same as usual only on smaller plane with more idiots than usual. I'm waiting for my connection in Reno now.
