I had the chance to walk my first grader to school alone this morning, so with her hand in mine we had a little chat. I asked her who she played with at school. She didn't remember any names. I told her after school I was going to ask for at least one name for her to remember. Later, I suggested that she might want to find someone that was alone and ask if they wanted to play with her. We even did a little role play.
We got to the school and when we reached the door where the kids her age wait she let go of my hand and waited by some of the boys. Parents were waiting with kids, little people were scurrying about and monitors in orange vests kept the chaos to a minimum. I stood back and watched. She didn't say anything, just waited quietly watching them interact. She looked adorable to me, but in this situation with her drowning in her backpack and cute little glasses, she looked so vulnerable. After a minute or so of this I intervened pulling her aside and encouraged her to visit with the girls. I suggested this a couple of times. She didn't want to, so I held her hand and waited with her. I crouched to her eye level and quietly asked her if she played with anyone at recess. When she didn't respond, I quickly asked her in a no-worries tone, "Or do you play on your own and do whatever you want?"
"Do whatever I want." She said in her little voice. My heart sank.
Here it is. She is brave. On the first day in her new school in a new town, she wasn't nervous at all. When I dropped her off in her classroom she sat down and never looked back. She is also a little shy, maybe, or at least she's quieter than Lauren and keeps more of her thoughts to herself.
I'm a little heart sick about this, but maybe she is okay. She doesn't seem worried about it, so why am I? I'm not much of a keep to myself kind of person, so it's hard for me to imagine that she is okay. Please share your thoughts!
Familia Jenkins
Lagoon Day
Daddy's princess on her pony.
Gingerbread House
The kids put this together in Bear Lake for the Jenkins Annual Snowmobile trip. Our poor kids...when we unloaded the car of our suitcases Lauren asked,"Do we live HERE now?"
Where's the fire?
Jon's dad tried to change the fire alarm but with it linked to the security system the fire department was automatically contacted. So after five minutes of obnoxiously loud alarms going off the truck showed up. Oops
Date with Daddy!
Jon took Lauren to Hollywood Connection for some one on one time together. It was a hit. :)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY HANDSOME
September 17th 1978
2/27/08 Lately L. has been insisting that I call her Cinderella. Sometimes I can hear her upstairs call for CINDERELLA. in a mean "step sister" tone, then in a sweet voice will answer, "I'm coming." She failed to pick up her toys when I asked, so I tried her new name and it worked wonders.
2/29/08 So L. is watching her old favorite and after Dory explains to Marlon that memory loss runs in her family, Lauren says, "It runs in my family too, Dory."
Anna two months
Lunch on the "patio"
Lauren has a new fascination with cokewatches. What's a cokewatch you ask? It's Lauren's word for Cockroach! :)
Grandma Jenkins
Grandma & Papa Lee
Anna's first week
Anna's first day
4 weeks - ALREADY
Her first and last day of church in Mexico
The Trike
L is lounging while watching our tennis match...this is the trike that ate me.
Story came to play
These three happy girls just finished spinning in Daddy's chair. What kid doesn't LOVE that? When Story's mom came to pick her up she gave me the door prize she'd won. It was a full hour massage at a spa in town. It was HEAVENLY! Thanks Brooke.
L"s Nursery Teacher and friend Lesley
Sunday doesn't come fast enough for L. to go with her teacher to Nursery. She will scout her out in S.M. and wave to her the rest of the meeting. She loves her.
Who's Here?
Rissie's Birthday
Lauren Louski Lou
Hello Marissie Maroo
A. Missy & Hrma Malia
Loved the visit!
Ready for Church
Rissie"s stuck
She yelled for help and I grabbed the camera
Rissie"s NEW look
Ponytail Girls
L"s B-Day Party @ Gma J"s
She"s done it again!
You'd think she enjoys getting it untangled with that grin.
5 comments:
I wouldn't worry about it for a second. I am the kind of guy that says EVERYTHING that I think and it drives Jamile crazy because she doesn't say a word. It is hard for me to understand her but it is just the way she is. Making friends is sometimes a longer process for some. Especially when your the new person. If she seems happy, I would just keep watching from a distance.
My second daughter was very shy in school--much more than my first. And she's growing out of it. I was so shy that I cried on the way to kindergarten every day (2nd daughter too), and I had to just grow out of it gradually year by year. My daughter has made friends with other shy girls now (she's in 2nd grade now) and that works for her. She also is a little more willing to comment in class now. I think it's a process that some people just need to go through.
Sometimes I would sit back and watch other people. I didn't care at all, and even some days now I wish I was invisible just so I could sit and watch without feeling the need to interact.
If you get really worried, just notify the teacher to see what she thinks. I had a kid in my class today that wanted to meet the new kid and asked if I would introduce them, so I did and let them shake hands. Now they know each other.
Don't worry at all sweet Becky! Everyone can't be a chief...there must be indians too. Just because she doesn't immediately interact doesn't mean she's shy...maybe just reserved, and that's ok! Caleb is very reserved, any my outgoing husband can't relate...but Caleb has found his niche in school (after a year or two of being a loner on the playground, which is so hard for a parent to see. I understand your concern.) Stop by my blog to see picts of my new babe :)
I often would talk to the teachers to make sure that my kids were interacting and reacting appropriately with other kids. I didn't want them to be alone, but I didn't want them to be bossy or overpowering either. The teachers I talked to over the years always gave me good insight and helped keep me from being too much of a "helicopter mom", which you know, I am so capable of being! In the future years, you will look back and wonder why you were concerned. They seem to grow out of a lot of things! Rissie will find her niche and I think asking her how her day was and getting the specifics will give you the chance to "coach" her a little on how to overcome any obstacles she might be feeling.
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