Today is ds1's birthday and also a "come as your favourite book character" day at nursery. There's been a big build up to the day and he was really really bursting with pride walking to nursery in his Thomas the Tank engine outfit I made for him. He's a bit shy and been a bit nervous of nursery for the last week or so, so I was really pleased to see him so happy.
Got to nursery with a big "look at me" smile on his face and the head comes past and says in a loud voice "we're not making a big fuss of their costumes now, he might want to take it off and then we'll line them all up later". Okay, fair enough - a bit abrupt, but fair enough. Then the next two children come in and she praises them up for their fabulous costumes! Ds1's face just plummetted.
I didn't say anything, quite honestly didn't know what to say at that point which would be constructive. I've just come home and dissolved into tears instead, feeling every ounce of my son's hurt.
This isn't the first time either. At Christmas they all had a christmas tree picture they had to colour in. Ds1, for the first time ever, was interested in doing some art, spent hours with daddy colouring, sticking and glittering this christmas tree. Hands it in the next day, while I'm there praising him up for what a good job he's done and the head turns round and says dismissively "well all the children worked very hard on their pictures" (hard to put across the tone of voice on that, but it really was dismissive) - well, yes I'm sure, but this is my son who struggles to gain any interest to even pick up a pencil and who you've commented before is a real struggle to get any artwork from him for his file to go to the school. A little bit of praise might count for something.
ARGH!
Do I say anything, how do I do it constructively and tactfully? Or do I just ignore it and praise him up at home when he gets back this afternoon?