Thursday, June 12, 2008

Oh, Connor

Things Connor has (pardon my French here) completely lost his shit over during the last few weeks:

Leaving the Penguin Room (and the daycare hall) and moving on to the summer camp class for rising kindergarteners. We had a tearful good-bye every morning the first week of the new class. (The week after Memorial Day)



Attending music class with the Vacation Bible School kids. (All last week.) After overhearing that the VBS kids were going to sing at church on Sunday, he cried all Monday night and hid in his room Tuesday morning, terrified that he would have to go to school and sing on a stage with people he didn't know. After a call to his teacher to get the details, I assured him that he would never have to go on stage to sing this song. He still worried about it each day (Mom, there are going to be electric guitars! Too loud!!!!) until finally Saturday came and he was able to relax in the knowledge that he made it through the week without hitting the stage or performing with real instruments.

The idea of having a bowling party for his birthday. I had his birthday all worked out, at a place where we had attended a party before, and I was thrilled at the prospect of having someone else clean up, fix food, and provide entertainment. Saturday morning Chip and Connor were tasked with going and paying the deposit for the party. It took Chip a half hour to convince a sobbing Connor to even go check out the place. He went, played some games, looked in the party room, and said, "No. I want a party just like last year!!!!" Then it was my turn to cry.

Grammy's suggestion that they go to Toys R Us together so that he could pick out some things he might like for his birthday. (Sunday) "But Mooooom, I just want to stay here with you!"



The prospect of attending a gymnastics class. (This week, 45 minutes a day, Mon-Thurs.) My son, who attempts to breakdance and perform flips and spins all day, is scared of gymnastics. It's because he's never done it before, and is scared he will fail in front of other people. (Never mind that only one kid there has ever taken gymnastics before.) He mentioned it a few times over the weekend, but Monday morning I got the call from his teacher. "Uh, Stephanie? Connor reeeaaallllly doesn't want to go to gymnastics. What do you want me to do?" Well, first I wanted her to ignore my crying. Then I told her to make him go to the class, but not to force him to participate. And so far that's what he's done every day. But at least he has stopped crying about it.

Inviting people to his birthday party. (Tuesday) It's protocol to invite everyone in the class to his party. There are tons of kids in his current class, most of whom I don't really know, so my compromise was to put individual invitations in the cubbies of his close friends, and then to just tack up an invitation in the general announcements area. The moms who don't know us are not going to drag their kids to my house- I'm not worried. Connor is. I also suggested inviting Drew and Megan (Hi Dee!) but he insists he doesn't remember those kids. I wiped the tears from his eyes and assured him that he would have a fun time at the party with his friends, and that even if someone he doesn't like shows up, at least he'll get a present out of the deal. That almost cheered him up. We still had a prolonged good-bye, even after the crying stopped. His, anyway. Although I do try to save mine until I get to my car.

3 comments:

Stacey Greenberg said...

dang.

i have a "oh, satchel" post brewing, but i don't think it will compare.

cjaxon said...

Souns like you have your hands full in the next week. Good luck, try to keep track of your own shit :)

Anonymous said...

Of course he doesn't remember Drew. Ask him if he remembers Pedro and Megan.