Is this a stupid idea to help my sensitive 8.5 yo dd settle into changes?

[peggotty]

She's going back to the breakfast and afterschool club this week as I return to university. She hates change of any sort and gets upset that she can't just go home at the end of the school day. The after school club isn't a bad club but is busy and noisy, both things she doesn't cope well with. I was thinking of either getting a really cheapy mobile phone that I can give her and text her little messages on while she's at the club. She would have strict instructions it wasn't to be used at school (and I'm certain age would follow this as she's actually a bit of a technophobe anyway). Or does this all sound ridiculously precious of me?! I just don't want her to be miserable and she was pretty miserable all of last year for various reasons including the transition from ks1 to ks2 and the fact I wasnt around as much for the first time in her life.

Desperate bump.

Would the school even allow this? Is there an alternative eg a day or two round at a friend's house for a play rather than 5 days of afterschool, or a childminder? How about javing a word with breakfast clib/afterschool about headphones to make it quieter and some quiet activities either just for her pr a group of 4 (reading, finger knitting, cards, board games)?

Surely better than a potentially contraband electronic device that will encourage her to disengage even more from where she is and be sent messages by you...could be confising that you have time to send a message but not physically be there?

It's not a stupid idea at all. DS (15) is going through a difficult time at school at the moment at the moment and it helps him to be able to send an odd text or two (he is allowed a phone in school) - also it is good to have something to 'play' with individually if feeling shy or overwhelmed by a crowd.

our school would tolerate it, as long as the phone was off during lessons it wouldn't be noticed or confiscated.
Need to ask the kids club, they probably object on grounds they don't want to be liable in case of damage or theft.
What about a daily note you hide somewhere in her bags or things that she has to ferret out, to let her know you're thinking of her? They can't object to that!!

Replies, thanks! It wouldn't be for use in school only afterschool club. She's not at them 5 days a week unless I'm on placement (which is for 6-8 weeks a couple of times per academic year) she's only in a couple of mornings and a couple of afternoons. A permanent arrangement of going to a friends isn't an option unfortunately. She and my ds are going to be starting at a local childminders on one of the afternoons in October which I'm hoping will help - although still busy with loads of kids there's more people she knows who attend there. I can speak to the club about a phone and see what they say. They do try and accommodate her by giving her quieter, crafty type activities but she still struggles being cooped up with loads of noisy kids in what is a pretty small hut.