annab
10-10-2005, 11:37 PM
We went to a class at the zoo today. I will say that their classes are not the greatest in terms of really holding attention. I think they expect a little too much for three year olds in terms of attention span. DS is in preschool, so I know he can do a circle time that is structured for his age. Anyway, this is what happened.
The class starts with 10 minutes of free time. There are books, puppets, toys, posters, things to color, etc. Kids get name tags, play, and just kind of get used to the setting. Then it is circle time. Every other class we have been to there has had mats for circle time that she places in a circle. Today, no mats. DS even asked where they were, and she said they did not need them. Most kids sat with their parents around the room, but not really in a circle. I think that helps kids stay in the circle, personally. DS ended up in the middle of the room. I was near the back with the baby, and offered to let him sit on my lap. He said, "No thanks."
As the instructor talked about carnivores, DS crept closer and closer. A few times, he would run all the way up to her, and I would call him back. He had a comment for everything. She tried to accommodate him, but for the most part, she ignored him so that he did not disrupt everyone else. I would call his name, and signal for him to come back. I put him on my lap, but then I would need to get the baby, and the creeping closer would start again. I felt like I spent the whole time saying his name.
Then she passed around skins and teeth and other animal things. He waited pretty well for those. Then they had a large skin that they laid out to have the kids come and touch. They talked about how tigers use their teeth. DS went up and bit the instructor's sweater. :irked: That was the end of my rope.
I went to get him, and he ran around the room screaming. It was a proud moment. So here I am with the baby, trying to chase the darting, screaming lunatic around the room. I totally kept my cool. No raising my voice or threatening. When I caught up with him, though, I had to be physical. With a baby on my hip, I had to grab his arm and lead, then drag, him from the room. I did not know the other moms, so I was not about to ditch the baby with a stranger while I carried him more humanely.
I put him up on a counter and talked to him. He got himself together, apologized to the instructor (not forced--only after the 'how can we fix this?" discussion) and was fine the rest of the class.
It is not fair to let him disrupt everyone else. He does well at other classes like this (museum, etc) , so I am not sure if it is just the structure of this one or what. No one wants to wrestle their kid out the door, and no one wants to be 'that mom' with 'that kid' either.
Thoughts? Since he pulled it together, do we give it another try? (It is a series) I hate to threaten, but I want so much to tell him that the minute he starts making it hard for the other kids to listen, we are leaving. That seems a bit harsh. If I try to remove him just to calm down, he will completely lose it again.
Another boy was acting similarly, and he got spanked. :( I understand the temptation, but yikes!
TIA
The class starts with 10 minutes of free time. There are books, puppets, toys, posters, things to color, etc. Kids get name tags, play, and just kind of get used to the setting. Then it is circle time. Every other class we have been to there has had mats for circle time that she places in a circle. Today, no mats. DS even asked where they were, and she said they did not need them. Most kids sat with their parents around the room, but not really in a circle. I think that helps kids stay in the circle, personally. DS ended up in the middle of the room. I was near the back with the baby, and offered to let him sit on my lap. He said, "No thanks."
As the instructor talked about carnivores, DS crept closer and closer. A few times, he would run all the way up to her, and I would call him back. He had a comment for everything. She tried to accommodate him, but for the most part, she ignored him so that he did not disrupt everyone else. I would call his name, and signal for him to come back. I put him on my lap, but then I would need to get the baby, and the creeping closer would start again. I felt like I spent the whole time saying his name.
Then she passed around skins and teeth and other animal things. He waited pretty well for those. Then they had a large skin that they laid out to have the kids come and touch. They talked about how tigers use their teeth. DS went up and bit the instructor's sweater. :irked: That was the end of my rope.
I went to get him, and he ran around the room screaming. It was a proud moment. So here I am with the baby, trying to chase the darting, screaming lunatic around the room. I totally kept my cool. No raising my voice or threatening. When I caught up with him, though, I had to be physical. With a baby on my hip, I had to grab his arm and lead, then drag, him from the room. I did not know the other moms, so I was not about to ditch the baby with a stranger while I carried him more humanely.
I put him up on a counter and talked to him. He got himself together, apologized to the instructor (not forced--only after the 'how can we fix this?" discussion) and was fine the rest of the class.
It is not fair to let him disrupt everyone else. He does well at other classes like this (museum, etc) , so I am not sure if it is just the structure of this one or what. No one wants to wrestle their kid out the door, and no one wants to be 'that mom' with 'that kid' either.
Thoughts? Since he pulled it together, do we give it another try? (It is a series) I hate to threaten, but I want so much to tell him that the minute he starts making it hard for the other kids to listen, we are leaving. That seems a bit harsh. If I try to remove him just to calm down, he will completely lose it again.
Another boy was acting similarly, and he got spanked. :( I understand the temptation, but yikes!
TIA