Yikes...

I went with my friend to the Island Park library yesterday (we signed up for classes a while ago) for a free program for kids. I would say there were about 10 kids there. I wanted to bring Jared there to start having him socialize and be around other children.

Well...he decided that he would rather push the other mommy's strollers than play with anyone else. They were also playing with toys and instruments..he really wanted no part in that. He finally started playing with rings that had ribbons on them and when it was time to give them back, he freaked(This is when he bit me).

I was totally embarrassed because all the other children were playing so nicely and I had the devil child.
Well, later that day, my dh and I took him out to the park and he played with a little girl (who was 5) beautifully. He was hugging her, laughing, following her...I was so shocked.

I guess it takes time for them to get adjusted to larger groups?

Oy..I need a tylenol...

Re: Yikes...

How old were the kids at the library? I noticed little ones like to play with older kids...maybe it was the age?

And he isn't a devil....he is too cute to be bad

Re: Yikes...

The kids were around his age and a little bit older.

I think he was overwhelmed...

Re: Yikes...

Stef, it's gonna take time for Jared to adjust, little by little it will get better. When Nate started day care is did not do well with the other kids. He was really overwhelmed, so the owner had a lot of 1-on-1 time with him and slowly introduced him to the group setting. Three months later, Nate is playing with the other kids and holding his own.

Re: Yikes...

I took Aidan to a library storytime when he was the same age as Jared. Same situation and same age kids there. They all sat still and listened or clapped along/danced to the songs, etc.

Aidan? yeah he was tearing apart the directors desk, trying to get up the stairs to the exit, finding markers to color himself with - you get the idea!
and he LOVES books!

So I think its just normal for some kids to want to explore when in a new situation. I'm sure if you keep it up he will learn to look forward to library time with the other kids.

to Jared!

(PS I notice that Aidan always plays much better with the older kids, he thinks he's one of them!)

Message edited 9/13/2006 1:20:32 PM.

Re: Yikes...

This sounds like Jake - we went to Library classes and I hated it. Jake would not sit and participate like all the other kids, he just wanted to run around and touch everyones things. I actually gave up and stopped going.

Then I signed him up for gymboree last year and he played by himself - had no real interest in following the class and the other kids. I didn't push it, just as long as he was happy.

But - he loves playing with his older cousins who are 3, 5 more and 7 - go figure.

We are going back to gymboree again this winter and I hope he starts interacting more with kiddies his age.

Re: Yikes...

Sounds to me like he was just overwhelmed. He's not a devil, he's just new at this, so it'll take some practice

Re: Yikes...

He obviously just likes older women

Seriously very normal for his age.

Re: Yikes...

Sounds just like Andrew at that age. We also did library story time, it was once a week for 25 minutes. Most of the times he was fine, the other times, OMG, I wanted to hide and never go back. The story room is on the lower level of the library. We took the stairs down and got into the room. All was fine until he heard the ding of the elevator outside the door. Well, he HAD to ride the elevator, so he darted out of the room in the middle of the story with my pregnant azz hauling after him. He proceeds to scream at the top of his lungs in the library because I wouldn't let him get on the elevator. Normally I would just leave with him, but my coat and bag were sill in the room and he was crying so loud I didn't want to open the door to interupt story time. That was so embarrassing.

You're not alone!!