Ds's (and my!) first day at preschool....god it was hard.

[hazeyjane]

Ds (2.9) had his first day ( well 2 1/2 hr session) today. It is mainstream, and he has a full time 1-1, plus me, because his separation anxiety is such that I haven't managed to leave him anywhere without him becoming seriously hysterical.

Ds did so well, in contrast to the way he was at his old sn nursery (where he spent most of his time there, buried into my chest hiding from people or screaming). His 1-1 was lovely (she is a friend of mine, which helps!), he held my hand or kept his hand on my leg the whole time, and signed 'fire engine' and 'helicopter' over and over again, until we found a fire engine and made a helicopter out of play doh!

He lost it a few times, once at snack time, when he realised that he couldn't eat anymore crackers, and then at circle time, by this time he was knackered, and very hot, it was very quiet, and all the children were sat waiting for a story, and he just couldn't handle it and started screaming and hitting himself in the head, I managed to get him over to the quiet book corner with his 1-1, but it was a very hard and long 30 mins.

I am so proud of him, because he did so well, but I feel a bit wrecked by it, he just seemed so out of place, and I heard some of the children asking why he wasn't talking, and why he had a baby chair (he has a smirthwaite jr chair) and then at circle time, they just stared and stared at him screaming. I was also really aware of how little interest ds had in the other children, I said to dh that really they may as well have been invisible, he just stares through them.

I sound like I'm being really negative, but he did well, and I think he will be ok there, and I think I might even be able to leave (eventually!) but I just had one of those days I think. It was hard!

Sorry for the moan, have poured myself a large glass of wine!

[Ineedmorepatience]

Well done hazey and minihazey,

Please tell me he didnt have to sit for a story for 30 minutes

I am working with a LO who screams a fair bit, the children [age 2-4] are mostly fine with it now although we do have one little boy who has sensory issues who gets a bit stressy.

It was quite funny today because the one who screams was being really noisy and the one who doesnt like noise had his hands over his ears, so the screamy one went over to him and stood right next to him with her head on one side as if to say Why have you got your hands over your ears!!

Bless them, I shouldnt laugh but if you didnt you'd go bonkers

I am sure he will settle, just take it slowly and do it all at yours and his pace.

Good luck

[EllenJanesthickerknickers]

Wow, well done all three! Perhaps 30 mins of quiet storytime might have to be reduced a bit? But he'll get used to the routine.

[TheNinjaGooseIsOnAMission]

that's sounds good for a first visit, so much new stuff to see and a whole new routine

[hazeyjane]

Thankyou, it was a good day. It just knackered me and him out, and I think I had one of those, foot stompy 'it's so unfair' moments because I remember how much simpler things were when the dds started preschool, and the other children all looked so carefree, and everything is just that bit harder work.

Anyhoo, next session tomorrow, and it will be a bit shorter, because he has to go to get an xray review from a specialist radiographer, so at least we will miss circle time! I hadn't realised how long circle time would be (nearly 45 mins in all, during which all the children sat and listened and put their hands up - astounding!), I will have to discuss a strategy for how ds can maybe do a little section of it, like the singing, but have another activity for the rest of it.