DD adjusting to kindergarten, behavior changes, and pulling away from Mom

[Anonymous]

So, my DD started Kindergarten on Monday. I realize it's only Wednesday. We have an older child (a son) but I am seeing differences in my two children in how they adjusted to Kindergarten and would appreciate advice.

DD barely touched her lunch today, has been badly behaved at home (probably because she is exhausted and hungry) and is also pulling away from me (Mom). I usually lay with her at night for a few minutes in her bed and read and talk about her day and tonight she basically kicked me out and said to just give her a hug and go.

How do you handle the adjustment to elementary school - from food to tantrums at home to your baby pulling away from you?

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

She's tired. She will adjust. Don't overreact.

[Anonymous]

It hardly sounds like she is "pulling away from you", she's tired! I agree that you are way overreacting.

[Anonymous]

Not sure how to Handel it, but i think its normal to feel hurt that you time together was cut short. It sounds like your a great mom an DD is lucky to have you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So, my DD started Kindergarten on Monday. I realize it's only Wednesday. We have an older child (a son) but I am seeing differences in my two children in how they adjusted to Kindergarten and would appreciate advice.

DD barely touched her lunch today, has been badly behaved at home (probably because she is exhausted and hungry) and is also pulling away from me (Mom). I usually lay with her at night for a few minutes in her bed and read and talk about her day and tonight she basically kicked me out and said to just give her a hug and go.

How do you handle the adjustment to elementary school - from food to tantrums at home to your baby pulling away from you?

Thanks!

l

She is exhausted - just make sure she is getting enough sleep. My son is so tired he is napping every day on the way home. He is being extra terrible to his little brother (who is 4). I ask him questions about his day on the walk home.

I would ask her about the lunch. My son has been letting me know what his preferences are - like don't freeze his juice/milk box and don't cut his sandwich.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So, my DD started Kindergarten on Monday. I realize it's only Wednesday. We have an older child (a son) but I am seeing differences in my two children in how they adjusted to Kindergarten and would appreciate advice.

DD barely touched her lunch today, has been badly behaved at home (probably because she is exhausted and hungry) and is also pulling away from me (Mom). I usually lay with her at night for a few minutes in her bed and read and talk about her day and tonight she basically kicked me out and said to just give her a hug and go.

How do you handle the adjustment to elementary school - from food to tantrums at home to your baby pulling away from you?

Thanks!

She sounds tired, it's normal. BTW, my daughter eats some of her lunch maybe twice a week. The other 3 times lunch comes home intact, exactly how I packed it. I make sure she eats a good breakfast, has a snack after school and I make a well balanced dinner. Her weight is in the 50% which is perfect according to the pediatrician.

[Anonymous]

It's the first week, so don't make generalizations about her behavior. Let her adjust. And she's going to be exhausted for about a month. Don't drag out bedtime. Maximize rest.

[Anonymous]

My Kindergartener is exhausted too. We've had a couple of stand-offs with homework already, but are trying to give him space and peace, and making sure we go to bed extra early! Even if it means kids getting up at 5am. Sigh...

[dancingsunflowers06]

It sounds like she is just tired from school, totally normal and she'll adjust. Hang in there mama!

[Anonymous]

I also make sure to give them one thing that they like especially well for lunch along with all the fruits and veggies like I will pack a brownie or even a little debbie swiss miss just so they eat something. And I make sure it is open and in a baggie so they don't have to struggle opening stuff up.

[Anonymous]

If she has energy and you have time, see if she can help you put her lunch together the night before. She can help decide the menu, make it, and pack it. Maybe she'll be a little more interested in eating it. But they're tired, and I often hear "we didn't have enough time to eat." If my DC has to go to the bathroom during lunch, that's a big chunk of the half hour right there. Plus they chat, fidget, take time opening everything, and so on. She'll settle in, and you'll get back to your normal bedtime routine. Right now she just may not have any energy left at the end of the day to keep bedtime going longer than the minimum.

[Anonymous]

She will eat her lunch as soon as she gets used to socializing during lunch.

From being in the school cafeteria from time to time, I can tell you that the kids who don't eat their lunch at that age are usually the biggest social butterflies. Once the novelty of being at lunch wears off she will eat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She will eat her lunch as soon as she gets used to socializing during lunch.

From being in the school cafeteria from time to time, I can tell you that the kids who don't eat their lunch at that age are usually the biggest social butterflies. Once the novelty of being at lunch wears off she will eat.

NP. Ah, this makes sense! DS is very outgoing and hasn't been eating his lunch this week. He eats the "snacky" stuff, apple sauce or fruit leather for example, but not the sandwich. At his Montessori school, lunch was pretty quite and orderly, so I can only imagine the lunch room is very distracting now.