Main menu:
My kid... he kinda does this thing. He doesn't do it all the time, but it's something that I have noticed. I think it's something that he's done for a long time. I see other kids doing stuff like this too, but not as often... not quite the same. Is it something that he might... that he'll grow out of? I didn't think it was such a big deal, but his teacher mentioned it to me. I guess I'm asking now, because his preschool teacher mentioned it to me too a few years ago. And my mother-in-law said something about knowing another kid who was kinda the same. And then had some kind of problems later on. It really doesn't seem that bad. Do you think it is OK that he does this? Is this something I should be worried about? Is there something I should do... that I can do?
Oh my gosh! I can't believe she could do that! You wouldn't think something that big could fit into something that small! Okay... it's parent time. Time to do the old discipline thing... or is it, the new discipline thing?Where do I start? How do I start? Reason with her? Distract? Do expectations? Trick? Motivate? Coerce? Punish? Threaten?Wait... what's it all about anyway? A maturity thing? Circumstances? Fatigue? Hunger? Getting sick? A disruption? Personality? Are we all nuts? Is there something wrong or off? Did the devil make her do it?Shoot, it's not parent time! It's the daily discipline detective time!
1. Activity Level: How active generally is the child from an early age?2. Distractibility: How easily is the child distracted? Can s/he pay attention?3. Intensity: How loud is the child generally, whether happy or unhappy?4. Regularity: How predictable is the child in his/her patterns of sleep, appetite, bowel habits?5. Persistence: Does the child stay with something he likes? How persistent or stubborn is s/he when wants something?6. Sensory threshold: How does the child react to sensory stimuli: noise, bright lights, colors, smells, pain, warm weather, tastes, the texture and feel of clothes? Is s/he easily bothered? Is s/he easily over-stimulated?7. Approach/withdrawal: What is the child's initial response to newness- new places, people, foods, clothes?8. Adaptability: How does the child deal with transition and change?9. Mood: What is the child's basic mood? Do positive or negative reactions predominate?
Ronald had been working all week as the director of a small preschool and day care program. 50 kids in the school, six to seven teachers to supervise, 50 sets of parents and associated siblings and family members and friends, a dozen prospective students and parents, a couple of vendors, and an occasional licensing or government representative. Finger paint, field trips, music (cymbals, rhythm sticks, bells, kazoos, drums, beautiful voices -- and not so beautiful voices!), tricycles, puzzles, playhouse games, dress ups, water play (and water messes), books, blocks, sharing, not sharing, discussions, arguments, fights, bumps and bruises, disinfectant and Band-Aids, happy kids, sad kids, mad kids, happy parents, mad parents, scared parents, happy teachers, good teachers, poor teachers, smiles and frowns, laughter and crying -- peace and calm, NOT!Kim had been working all week as the kindergarten teacher of a small private school. 16 kids in her classroom, 15 other teachers, 20 sets of anxious parents, a couple of prospective students visiting the class, a couple of meetings with fellow teachers, parents, and the administration. Arts and crafts, field trips, music (cymbals, rhythm sticks, bells, kazoos, drums, beautiful voices -- enthusiastic voices!), puzzles, games, dress ups, water play (and water messes), books, lessons to teach, sharing, not sharing, discussions, arguments, fights, bumps and bruises, happy kids, sad kids, mad kids, happy parents, mad parents, scared parents, happy colleagues, good coworkers, poor, smiles and frowns, laughter and crying -- peace and calm, NOT!Friday night, Kim and Ronald are home together. Finally, a break from work. Finally, some time together. Ronald says, "Hey, let's go out. Let's go dancing, or go bowling." Kim responds, "Why you doing this to me?" as she fixes him with a death stare! "Whaaat?! What do you mean,’ doing this’ do you? What did I do?” a stunned and confused Ronald replies. (Based on a true story -- a true story that wasn't funny living as it happened!)