Time for Adjustment…..

My last semester of college was a cake walk. I took three classes, worked part time and basically enjoyed the last four months of college to the fullest extent. I was fortunate enough to have a job right after graduation. I went from a pretty sweet schedule to being thrown into a job where I actually had to be productive 40 hours a week. I’m not complaining, I loved my job and worked hard at it, but DANG…after those several months of easy street, adjusting to a 40 hour work week was a pretty big deal. I’m sure I slept a little more and needed some extra down time at night until I got in the routine of it and my body adjusted to actually getting up before 10am on a daily basis!

Fast forward a few years, I now have a kindergartener on my hands. She went to preschool for two years prior, going three days a week, and learned a lot and played a lot. This summer I worked less and we played even more. We got her all ready to start school, talking about how fun it would be etc and she was truly excited to start school. The first week went well…the second week, my sweet little girl started some behaviors that were not so pleasant for all of us…We are starting week four and there is still adjustment going on. Like me, the new college grad, she is having to cope with five whole days of having to follow rules, learn, eat in a certain amount of time, do homework etc. Compared to the last five years of her life, this is one heck of a HUGE adjustment! Of course she is going to act like a little booger here and there. She is not capable of saying to me, “Mommy school is really taxing on my brain and energy level so I need to take a little break and go to bed earlier”. Nope, she just knows how to be a booger, which is how five year olds communicate all these new things she is trying to process.  But it’s made me take a step back and be patient with her adjustment and know that she will get in the swing of things and my sweet little girl should hopefully return to normal….hopefully.

Now that school has been in session for several weeks now, I urge parents to consider what all kids need to adjust to with each new school year, not just kindergarten. Getting to know new teachers, new routines, new friends and bigger demands on their brains is hard work. So I encourage you to be there for the kids, encourage them, play with them and hopefully be able to schedule in some down time for them each night. Be patient if their behaviors change just a little…it’s normal. (of course I am in NO way saying that bad behaviors be excused because of this, but to remember, there is probably a good reason they are acting they way they are and not just to make you crazy!)

I hope everyone is having a GREAT start to the school year, before we know it the teachers will be rejoicing for Christmas break I am sure!

And as always, no matter what you are facing in life and need some help, I am here! Call if you would like to make an appointment, as I am here Monday through Thursday! Call me at 636-294-5490! HAVE A GREAT WEEK EVERYONE!!!!