DD starts pre-k, now a terror =(

[crazy4disney01]

She started school on Wednesday and she is sweet to her teacher, but she is horrible to me. She talks back and tries to hit me. WTH ? I have tried to give her some slack because she is getting up at 6 when she is use to sleeping in and has always been a late sleeper in the morning but I don't understand where this is coming from. We are taking her to Build-A-Bear Workshop tomorrow even though I feel she doesn't deserve it, we just needed a getaway because it's been a hard summer. I don't know if she is mad at me for making her go to school, but she loves it and has been looking forward to it all summer. I don't want her to begin not respecting me because she is 4 and it's too early for that, and I don't want to lose control and she's 10 and totally .

Thanks for letting me vent! Has anyone else experiences this when your child started school?

 

[clh2]

Of course it is me, I'm asking the really stupid question. Why is she getting up at 6? For someone in pre-K who is not used to it, that just sounds way to early.

But, not knowing your particular circumstances, I am just going to offer some general observations that I had with my own DD when she was in k-5 ( as our school district did not have any earlier classes):

Give your DD about a week or two for her body to adjust to the time change. Someone who isn't used to eating breakfast at the crack before dawn isn't going to eat lots. And, even though they may have a mid-morning snack, lunch will be at a time when your DD just might not be ready for lunch. All-in-all, your DD is being asked a whole lot this week, from a different schedule, differnent eating schedule, and she just doesn't have "anything left" by the time she gets home.

In addition, if she is in pre-k, she may just be scared, no matter how excited she is about pre-k.

In about a week, your DD's body is going to catch up with what's going on, and she'll be back to her normal self.

Personally, I think B-A-B is the perfect thing for you and her to do a little extra-fun bonding with each other.

Don't worry, this too shall pass. Expect the same thing to happen the first week or two of the first couple of years of school.

Good Luck.

By the way, I'm JUST a mom, my DD is now 12, and we went through the same types of things in the first week or two of school. IT DOES GET BETTER!!!

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I'm also wondering why she has to get up at 6AM. Not sure what time her school starts, but maybe clothes could be picked out the night before, everything ready, etc, so that she can get ready as quickly as possible in the morning and sleep in later. Some of my later sleeping kids went to afternoon preschool--any chance of switching her to an afternoon class? If not, give her time to adjust. Is it a 1/2 day program?

 

[indigoxtreme]

The Op may be a working out of the home mom as many of us are. The first poster is correct in that give it a little time and let her adjust. I know that Pre-K here in GA starts at 8:00 and ends at 1 or 2 as my dgd just did this last year. We have State Funded Pre-K so it is free. She is in K this year and school starts at 7:48 ends at 2:15.

For the original OP remind your DD of her bounderies and let her know you know she is tired and everything is different, but she is now a big girl and she will begin to have a lot of fun learning and meeting new people.

 

[MAKmom]

OP Relax. 3 & 4 years are the worst...until 15 & 16. LOL. If your 3 & 4 year old is being good for others & not you everything is fine. You are safe ...others are not. 3 is still a baby. It is just changes going on.

I think our main job as Mothers is to raise a Socially Acceptable Child. That does not mean winning every battle...just the really important ones. If they are brats with us sometimes that's OK. They need to know how to act out in the world & be good loving souls.

 

[disneymom3]

My answer is mixed. Yes, cut her some slack because she has big changes going on and rest in that she is probably going through an adjustment period but my rule has always been that it doesn't matter what you are going through, being rude or hitting mommy is never ever okay and there are serious consequences. Especially for hitting.

 

[marshallandcartersmo]

Sorta OT--my DS's Kindergarten starts at 7:30am and lasts till 2:30pm. If he were to ride the bus, he would have to get up at 6am, as the bus comes in front of our house at 6:30am (I'm not kidding). Needless to say I'll be driving him to school (7 minutes away). Still, he'll have to be up by 6:30ish......pretty early for a 5 y/o.

 

[sap1227]

We are going through the same thing here, so I know how you are feeling. Everyday for the last 8 school days they tell me how great Braden is--within an hour of being home he has turned into a nightmare! Hitting his brother, talking back to us--totally out of character behavior.

I am going to get a sticker/reward chart made this weekend and hope it helps!

Good Luck, hopefully it will pass soon!

 

[crazy4disney01]

Thanks for all of the support!!

 

[Aidensmom]

We are going through the same thing, but with kindergarten, even though my son already went through a year of Pre-K.

I am amazed at the people jumping on the OP about the 6 am. I am sure she is not doing it to be cruel, but because that is what time they need to be up to be to pre-k on time! My son goes to a kindergarten at a "choice school" 15 miles from our home where he is supposed to be there between 8:05 and 8:15. Well, here in the city it takes us about 45 minutes, if the traffic is good, to drive 15 miles. An hour or more if it is not. We get up at 6:15, and we have already cut it within about 2 minutes of being late and there has only been one week of school.

That being out of the way....for my son it seems to be he is frustrated. And when he is frustrated with something, he can become the most evil child in the world! He is the youngest child in his class by far as he just turned 5 yesterday, and unlike the trend we did not hold him back a year because of that. Therefore, there are kids that have abilities greater than him because at that age, a year can be a big differnce. I have been making a big effort to find fun ways to help him to catch up with these kids so he doesn't feel behind, and it does seem to be helping a bit.

Could there be something frustrating or scaring your child? A lot of times the extreme acting out is just a way that the child is trying to get some control We have to remember, a child's logic is a lot different than our own, so we have to try to think like them sometimes to figure out what the problem may be.

 

[mrsv98]

Young children have x amount of "ego strength", that is, what helps them control themselves and fuction in society. The older they get, the better they are at negotiating the world. When they are young and in new situations, they use up every ounce of ego strength to get thru the day. Thus when they get home, they can be little terrors!

When I taught Pre-K and Kdg, I can't tell you how many parents said the same thing as the OP. Their kids were great in school and monsters at home. Dont' worry, as they become more comfortable in the situation, it won't take so much energy and things will smooth out at home.

I do agree that violence is not allowed no matter what. If she starts to hit, remove her or yourself and explain that it is unacceptable to hit in your family.

Good luck!

 

[kellyg403]

Just wondering if your daughter is getting a rest/nap time during the day at pre-k? Was she before at home? I have one daughter who was the same because she NEEDED that 50 minutes during the day. First couple weeks of school she was not napping and boy, by the time she got home you could tell. Once she became comfortable and slept the nap period she was a much happier person all around. I agree to give her a chance to even out and get used to the new situation but being firm with the boundaries.

I used to do the same and get my children up earlier. No rushing is best for me in the mornings, it starts my whole day off on the wrong foot.

Kelly

 

[gopack]

Sometimes children are "stressed out" after having to behave all morning at school. Most children are not used to the structure of preschool when they first start. Therefore, when they get home they act up for their parents. I am sure things will get better as she adjusts to the routine and structure of the classroom. I taught preschool for many years and this is a very common problem. However, that does not mean the at home behavior is acceptable or should be tolerated. I was just laughing with my DD13 about how she would cry when I left her at preschool for the first time. Don't worry, this too shall pass!

 

[SRUAlmn]

Desks in Pre-K!?!?!?!? That doesn't sound very age appropriate. Is she in a very driven, academic program or something? Maybe she is acting out at home because she is too structured at school and isn't being given approriate time to be a 4 year old. I am a former Pre-K teacher, former Preschool director, and current K teacher, and that is my gut just from what you have said. Any change is going to be tricky at first (even for us grown ups ) I wouldn't worry too much unless the behavior continues after a couple weeks or starts to get much worse.

 

[Ub_Iwerks]

If she seems tired when she gets up, can you let her sleep a little later. Bathe and pick out clothes the night before. Sometimes I even let my kids eat breakfast in the car (frozen waffles are good for that). The bad behavior at home is just her way of letting you know she misses you! It takes a few weeks to adjust.

 

[slk537]

Young children have x amount of "ego strength", that is, what helps them control themselves and fuction in society. The older they get, the better they are at negotiating the world. When they are young and in new situations, they use up every ounce of ego strength to get thru the day. Thus when they get home, they can be little terrors!

When I taught Pre-K and Kdg, I can't tell you how many parents said the same thing as the OP. Their kids were great in school and monsters at home. Dont' worry, as they become more comfortable in the situation, it won't take so much energy and things will smooth out at home.

I do agree that violence is not allowed no matter what. If she starts to hit, remove her or yourself and explain that it is unacceptable to hit in your family.

Good luck!

I totally agree with this, as far as our DS is concerned. He turns into a little energetic monster whenever he changes rooms at daycare. He is with new kids all day and he becomes a little show off. It is hard when he is the youngest and then again when he becomes the oldest and is getting ready to move.

He'll be actually switching schools in a week or so and starting 4TKindergarten and I will be sharing your pain....!!