Charming Cards -: Kindergarten Anxiety

Next month we have both a high school senior graduating and a 6th grader finishing elementary school. I am amazed at how fast these years have gone and wish they would slow down a bit. Our 6th grader is so excited to be moving on to Jr High School. Looking back, I can't help but reflect on the stark difference between starting and finishing elementary school for him as Kindergarten had a rough start. He loved pre-school and had no issue with going to school or separating from his parents. We expected an easy transition to Kindergarten like his 2 older siblings. The first day went ok, he wasn't thrilled as you can see in the picture below of us together in the classroom as the parents were about to leave. But the 2nd- 17th day of Kindergarten were TOUGH! He got to school and he started crying and wouldn't let go of me. The teacher had to pry him off me as he went howling into the classroom with all of the parents trying not to look. By the 4th day we decided this was too disruptive to the class and we started taking him to the front office where the office manager or nurse would pry his little fingers off me and let him cool off in the nurses office before he was ready to go to class (1/2 hour to 45 minutes). On more than one occassion I left in tears. We tried having his uncle walk him to school with his cousin, thinking he wouldn't do this in front of them. But as they walked onto the blacktop, my brother in law said he put his arm around Danny's neck and could feel his little heart beating so fast and understood this was true anxiety for Danny. This didn't work either. Finally after over 3 weeks of the nurses office routine, he was able to walk in with the rest of the class.

First grade this went on for just 1 week and was not as intense. When 2nd grade started and he showed the same anxiety, the teacher came up with a great plan to have Danny come to school 20 minutes before everyone else and "help" her with something. So for the first few weeks we went to school early and he helped her hang things on the wall, or staple packets, or whatever she could come up with. This worked great and when he felt confident enough he was able to walk in with the rest of the class. This anxiety shows up from time to time in other small ways, but I will never forget the drama and anxiety (for all of us) that first year of Kindergarten.

This week he had to write a poem for school about a fear he has conquered. This is what he wrote that brought tears to my eyes as I think of how far this little boy has come. Stuff like this makes parenthood so rewarding.

Overcoming School
by Danny

Overcoming my Kindergarten Fear
My kindergarten career
Starting off the new school
I always thought it was so cruel

I will dread that first day
But I must learn the way
I will be doing this for a long time
Completing it will be a big climb

The day finally comes
I wait and feel like crumbs
But I learn I have to do it
Something I’ll never quit

Now I wait for another new school
Now I feel like a fool
I am waiting anxiously for the day
Now a school day I won't want to go away

first day of Kindergarten