Am I being precious about this?

[akaemmafrost]

DD, just turned 5 has started Reception this week. She hasn't said much, except that she doesn't like it and wants to stay at home but her teacher says she is fine, no problems etc.

However this weekend there has been a lot of putting, dollys, teddies and, well, everyone really onto "The Time Out Chair". So I gently asked her about the Time Out Chair, she has not been on it but named a few other of the tinies in her class who have been (they are mostly aged 4, dd is a September baby and turned 5 this week). When she said who had been, she went really quiet and looked so down and sad.

It just makes me really, this obvious fear of "The Time Out Chair". I suppose I have just always dealt with bad behaviour as and when and we all knew where we stood. It seems like the modern day equivalent of The Dunces Cap to me.

I suppose I just need to man up and accept that my PSB (precious second born) is now "out there" and this is the norm.

Just wanted to mull it over really.

[SuePurblybilt]

Blimey, so four or five children have been on the TO chair in their first week? That seems like a lot.

[akaemmafrost]

I KNOW! That is what I thought. And its the way her face goes all still and sad when we talked about it.

[BelleEnd]

I think there's a tendency for teachers to be a bit stricter than usual in the first weeks so that the pupils know what's expected of them. My DS fears the time out chair, but because of that it does work.
I don't think it's PSB of you to feel sad about it, but I do think it's good for the teachers to set out the ground rules and enforce them at the beginning of term.

[ChippingIn]

If it wasn't her first year I'd just say to tell her to behave & then she wont get put on it! BUT with it being her first year I'd want to go and talk to the Head (Head of Year) - normally I'd go straight to the teacher, but for this I think you need someone to go and see what's happening & how reasonable it is. I can't see how you'd need a 'naughty chair' in reception - in the first week :( You really don't want her put off school (anymore than she already is!) before she's hardly started. You may find other parents have been in for a word.

[akaemmafrost]

ChippingIn "I can't see how you'd need a 'naughty chair' in reception - in the first week" You know that is exactly what I thought. I will say something I think, not in a whingy way, just explain that dd is worrying about it.

CustardCake She named, names of kids who have been on it, three of them and one of them more than once!

I know there has to be ground rules, I really do, just don't want her worrying about it unduly. She is quite sensitive ( I know ALL parents say that, but she is! ) and she comes out of there with such a serious face at the end of the day when I pick her up.

[cansu]

It could be that this is a strategy that has been agreed for specific children. My dd (SEN) has a time out place and she has been known to have to sit on it quite frequently. However this is an agreed way of dealing with her behaviour. Other dc will not know the reason behind it and may for all I know tell their parents that my dd is always naughty and is always in time out. I did once overhaer one dc talking about my dd to their mum and it sounded much worse than it actually was!

[akaemmafrost]

Yes I suppose it could be. I know there is an ASD child in the class. I have an ds with ASD though and this would never have worked for him, he just wouldn't have co-operated with it so it didn't occur to me that this might be a possibility. Ds had a place he could withdraw to if things got tough with ear muffs etc but he was never put in Time Out.

[MigratingCoconuts]

I too am a bit at a naughty chair in the first week of reception. There must be a lot of getting used to the new environment and I can't see how this is helping really.

There must be either some very naughty kids....or perhaps a more subtle way of dealing with unwanted behaviour.

[MigratingCoconuts]

I hope cansu's suggestion is correct!

[madamarcati]

have you never been in areception class? you think they are all little angels even in the first week???

[madamarcati]

and you really can't complain about the teacher disciplining other peoples children!!

[SuePurblybilt]

I have been in a fair few madam and I was surprised at the idea of that many children being put on it in their first week at school. And she's not complaining as such, more concerned about her own child.

[akaemmafrost]

"and you really can't complain about the teacher disciplining other peoples children!!" Can't seem to find the bit where I said I thought I could madam.

Not complaining, asking for more information about something that is clearly worrying my child in her very first week of Reception.

Yes, I have been in a Reception class actually, when my ds first started school and he has ASD I stayed and visited many times to help him settle. They did not seem to use the "Time Out Chair" then. It was the same school though a few years ago.

[Floggingmolly]

Ds3's class has a thinking chair, it's just a place to reflect quietly if they're getting over exuberant, not a punishment as such.

[akaemmafrost]

See, thats sweet and nothing negative attached to it but with the same outcome.

[sunshinewanted]

My son was very challenging in his first week in reception. His experienced teacher just dealt with it by missing play time etc. I am not sure of the details but I know when I had discussed with my son he said he was just finding out what he could do!! The boundaries were clearly set immediately and he had a great year with the teacher never needing to call us in or tell us about issues. Yes some of the well behaved girls found her strict at first but at least once boundaries were set they could get on and work without disruption.

In year one he had a NQT and did the same test on her at the start and she didnt set any boundaries and by the end of the year she asked me to ask him to do what she told him!! A totally wasted year. I know which strategy I prefer and which I think is best for the class as a whole.

[clam]

Are you being precious? If I'm really honest, I think that yes, you are. But it's understandable.
I think you'd have more reason to be about it if she'd been on it herself though.

[akaemmafrost]

I thought I probably was being a bit, she is just so serious about the whole business and that makes me . She comes out looking like she has done a 12 hour working day when I pick her up.

[catsareevil]

I would agree with speaking to the teacher about this. If what your DD is saying is true then that is one thing. It might not be though.

[madamarcati]

Wouldn't you rather the teacher enforced boundaries from the outset , than having a year trying to get on top of the challenging behaviour from a few.Have you never heard the old adage 'don't smile til xmas'

[clam]

If you'd said that loads of new reception children had been sent to the Head or put in detentionor something, then maybe you'd have more cause for concern. But this is a "time-out chair," hardly Belsen! She's had a lot to take in this week, starting school, so give her time and space and she'll get used to it all.

[daytoday]

Gosh, my DD would be very upset by explicit use of a time out chair in her first week. She a very sweet girl, naturally a little fearful. My DS on the other hand wouldn't have cared. I would be straight in there - letting the teacher know that this chair is consuming so much of your child's imagination. Exactly as you have posted here. The first few weeks are so vitally important. Children vary so much in what they worry about.

[clam]

But daytoday that's exactly the issue. You have one child who you think would be very upset, and another who wouldn't give a monkey's. Teachers have to cater for all types in their class, but it is in the long-term interests of all, particularly the more sensitive types, that behaviour is under control from the off.