See? I'm 5 now!

Remember this guy? This sweet, cuddly, awesome 4-year-old? Well, now he’s a big 5-year-old, and he’s been in kindergarten for about 7 weeks. He started out with an enthusiastic bang, but now we’re dealing with tears and major foot-dragging when it comes to going to school.

I know, I know — I shouldn’t be surprised. “Help! My Kindergartener Hates School All of a Sudden!” is one of my most popular posts — and a very common parenting dilemma. Fact is, young children are totally different animals than “school aged” kids — and by that, I mean 8-year-olds and up. Little kids are still developmentally more like preschoolers. And that means they’re likely to change their minds about — well, just about everything. So, starting off kindergarten all excited — then losing steam after a few weeks — isn’t a surprise. Check out my post (and the growing comment section, with my additional suggestions) for coping ideas.

And hang in there, if you’ve got a balking kindergartener. Usually, if you can support your child through this tricky developmental stage, the protests wind down by Thanksgiving.

In the meantime, Happy Halloween!

Aloha,

Dr. Heather
The BabyShrink

Not The Dreaded Bath!

Let me tell you about a cool conversation I had the other day with my Infant Research/Rock Star Guru, Professor Joseph Campos (at UC Berkeley).  He helped me understand more about a funky phenomenon I’ve written about here before: The Weird, Wacky, Sudden Fears of the 12 — 15-month old. You know: Crazy fears of the bath, bizarre fears of mustached men, and other kooky things like Fear of Flowers (I kid you not — I’ve heard ‘em all — many from my own kids). As I’ve said before, these sudden fears are NORMAL — but now I understand a little more about WHY.

It’s a combination of what I’ve already written about here — adjusting to the exciting (and scary) new world of mobility, as well as an inborn fear of sudden, unexpected unfamiliarity. Babies this age tend to freak when they see something that looks out of place – a man with facial hair (if they’re used to clean-shaven guys), dogs that suddenly bark loudly, or things that move in unexpected, uncontrollable directions (like flowers in the breeze). Turns out that adult chimpanzees also have similar fears. Interestingly, our toddlers grow out of these fears — chimps do not. Rapidly developing baby brains are starting to compare “familiar” to “unfamiliar”. It’s likely protective — which is especially needed now that the baby is toddling around, away from parents.

Sudden baby fears are also related to a similar parent frustration at this age: Resistance to car seats, strollers, changing tables, high chairs, or any similar baby-jail. Why? Because they remove the element of control from your little one — and CONTROL is what helps to decrease baby’s fears.

So here’s how to cope with those intense and sometimes inexplicable fears in your young toddler: Give her as much control as possible (given safety factors, and of course your need to do other stuff, too.) Fear of the unknown and unexpected is always best soothed with CONTROL. Let baby approach (or avoid) fascinating/scary things (or people) at her own pace. Explain to her when it’s time to get into the car seat — and let her try to negotiate herself into it, if possible. (She just might do it, if you give her a minute to think it through.) Take the pressure off if she’s feeling shy or fearful. And most of all: DON’T WORRY. Weird toddler fears mean nothing about future psychological adjustment (and the more YOU freak out about her fears, the more SHE’LL freak out about them.)

But on the flip side: If baby needs to get into the car seat NOW, or if she MUST have a bath tonight — that’s OK, too. Explain it to her. “I know you don’t want a bath, but you have enchiladas in your hair, honey. I promise to make this as fast as possible, then we’ll be all done.” Be supportive and understanding — but shampoo away. You won’t do any psychological harm. The trick is to give her the general message that, WHEN POSSIBLE, you’ll give her as much control as you can. But sometimes the grown-ups have to be in charge (and that’s a good lesson, too).

The good news is this: These fears almost always dissipate by 18 months of age. (Then you’ll be on to bigger and better things — like Full On Temper Tantrums.) Whee!

Aloha,

Dr. Heather
The BabyShrink

"Mom, what happened?"

The news was on, and our preschooler came into the room. Before we could turn off the TV, he saw a good stretch of footage he shouldn’t have: Shootings. A deranged killer. Sobbing parents. A child murdered. “Why is that lady crying, mommy?”

Every ounce of our parenting instinct wants to wish this moment away — to press “DELETE” on our little ones being exposed to such horrors. Erase! Rewind! Pretend like it didn’t happen! They’re so innocent. How to explain such a terrible, grown-up reality? Can’t they stay in their little world of princesses and unicorns awhile longer?

Adding to the complexity of the situation was the presence of his 7-year-old brother and 9-year-old sister. What explanation to give them all? Our daughter jumped right in — she had been discussing it at school. “A man who was sick in his head went to the store and shot a politician plus a whole bunch of other people!” 7-year old: “What’s a politician? Like a donkey or an elephant?” 4-year-old: “Sick in his head? I was sick in my head last week! Remember mom? You took my temperature!” 9-year old: “He killed a girl my age!” 4-year-old: “Don’t die, OK?”

Graduate school lists of “how to talk to kids” at various ages started swimming through my head. But how to answer the 9-year-old with her more realistic questions and fears, while not confusing the preschooler? How to explain to the 7-year-old that death for people was much more serious than finding the dead fish in his classroom aquarium that morning? How to reassure the 4-year-old that he was safe — and so were we? And how NOT to infect them with my own fears and reactions?

I jumped into psychological triage mode. Job #1: Make sure to minimize the fear here. Explain and reassure. Job # 2: Respond to their questions — at their level. Job #3: Fall back on our routine. Demonstrate that things haven’t changed at home. Job # 4: Allow them to support each other, even as you try to correct the misinformation they may have. Siblings can be great resources for each other, giving reassurance in a way that we just can’t.

If there’s something big going on, and you need to stay tuned to the TV to follow anything for safety reasons, keep in mind who’s watching. Mute the sound when you can, and turn it off when possible. Little kids confuse “replays” with reality, and may think things are happening over and over again.

Here are more preschooler-specific tips for talking about tragedies:

• Don’t assume — anything. Your preschooler may completely tune out the situation. If that’s the case, it’s normal — and OK.

• Think in “fairies and pirates” language when answering questions. Your preschooler simply can’t understand the world of objective reality. To him, magical thinking applies.

• Keep it simple, and always follow up with reassurances. “Sometimes bad things happen, but Mommy and Daddy always protect you. We’re all going to live for a long time, until we’re very old.”

• Keep an eye out for questions coming up in different ways — like play. We’ve had a lot more “shooting” games going on around here these days (despite the fact that we don’t allow toy guns in the house). It gives me the chance to butt in and ask more about the games, and how they’re handling things.

If your kids are having a tough time adjusting to a tragedy, make sure to ask for help sooner — rather than later. It’ far easier to help a child adjust when the trauma is new. After awhile it gets more and more difficult. Ask her doctor, teacher, or a clergyperson for a referral to someone who works with young children. Here is a nice summary by Dr. Joel Dvoskin, posted on the American Psychological Association’s website:

Q. What should parents tell their children about this incident – especially since one of the dead was a 9-year-old child?

Dr. Dvoskin: Don’t be afraid to talk to your kids about these events. The most important thing after any trauma is to maximize real and perceived safety for the child…. Letting kids know that they are safe is likely to help and not likely to make things worse.

Don’t flood kids with too much information. The best way to decide how much information is appropriate is by the questions children ask you. Answer their questions honestly and directly, but remember that they are kids, so keep it simple (depending upon their age).

Parents should not lie to their children when talking about this tragedy. To the extent that children are unable to trust their caregivers, it is very difficult for them to feel safe.

Don’t “pathologize” normal human responses to frightening events. If your children are frightened or upset, it doesn’t mean there is anything wrong with them. However, if problems such as misbehavior, sleeplessness or other signs of depression or anxiety become especially severe or extreme, then seek professional help.

Limit kids’ continued exposure to television coverage of the event. Depending upon their age and developmental status, they might not be able to tell if it’s one event being repeated or many events. This is especially true of younger kids. Parents might even want to limit their own television watching.

Pay attention to your own fears and anger. It is unlikely that you will successfully hide your feelings from your children, who usually pay keen attention to what you say and do. Take care of yourself, and if your own feelings or behavior become extreme and problematic, don’t be afraid to seek help for yourself as well.

If it is necessary to refer the child to a mental health professional, as always, step one is screening and assessment. Assess the child as a child, in totality, and in developmental context. Kids who have exaggerated reactions to what they see on TV may be kids who aren’t strangers to trauma. The real question is why this event traumatized this child…. Community trauma can bring to the fore issues that were already there.

I’ve also included a couple of additional links below for more information. In the meantime — stay safe.

Aloha,

Dr. Heather
The BabyShrink

Here is a nice guide from my colleagues at the American Psychological Association

And a helpful PDF that was written in response to 9/11 — still very relevant to any tragedy — that breaks down parents’ responses by age range

Very Common Problems.

SHOULD+I+SNEAK+MY+TODDLER+INTO+PRESCHOOL+IF+SHE+IS+NOT+FULLY+
POTTY+TRAINED?

AND

MY+KINDERGARTENER+HATES+SCHOOL+WHAT+SHOULD+I+DO?

The demand is so strong for these topics that I’m re-running these 2 posts together. So without further ado, here’s my post on potty training rules in daycare and preschool – you’ll see that I have some pretty strong opinions.

And here’s my post on what to do if your poor little kindergartener decides that they would rather NOT be a big boy or girl anymore and stay home after all.

I’ve been there more than once myself, so I can sympathize. Check out those posts and let me know what you think!

Aloha,

Dr. Heather
The BabyShrink

Fears can't be avoided

(Normally) the child overcomes his fears. And here is the most fascinating question of all: How does he do it? For the child is equipped with the means for overcoming his fears. Even in the second year he possesses a marvelously complex mental system which provides the means for anticipating danger, assessing danger, defending against danger, and overcoming danger. Whether this quipment can be successfully employed will depend, of course, on the parents who, in a sense, teach him to use his equipment. This means that if we understand the nature of the developing child and those parts of his personality that work for solution and resolution toward mental health, we are in the best position to assist him in developing his inner resources for dealing with fears.

From Selma Fraiberg’s The Magic Years, page 6.

So as parents, the best we can do is to understand the developmental process, know the temperamental realities of our own kids, and hold their hands while they walk through the tricky spots. No parenting “technique” can take the place of a genuinely interested, centered, and supportive parent — one who knows when to step in and help, and one who knows when to hang back and trust the magic of the developmental process.

Aloha,

Dr. Heather
The BabyShrink

Dear Dr. Heather,

Body awareness -- an ongoing process

I am worried about my 3-year-old daughter, who has made 2 comments about her “bottom” in the last 2 weeks. She didn’t want me to look at her bottom when I was putting a pull-up on her. When I asked her why, she said “I don’t know.” And visiting her grandparents’ house, she was getting dressed for the day and told her grandma that she didn’t want grandpa to see her bottom. I know that her grandpa would NEVER EVER do anything inappropriate…as a matter of fact, he has never even changed her diaper when she was younger. There is nobody else who she is in contact with who would EVER do anything inappropriate either. But I am concerned. I have never used the word “bottom”. I do not leave my girls alone with men or even just grandpas or other children (like playing in their room by themselves). They have to play where I can see them.

What I want to know is this: Do preschoolers develop a self-awareness of their body to a point where they don’t want certain people seeing them in their undies, or in the bathtub….at what age and is this normal? What should I be doing at this point? My number one priority is protecting my young daughters.

Signed,

Anonymous — and Fearful — Mom

Dear Fearful Mom,

Sometimes it’s hard to see our babies venture into territory like this. Body awareness, along with a sense of “private parts”, is a first step in a child’s developing sexuality. This can trigger strong feelings in us as parents, especially for those who have lingering issues over sexuality, or perhaps have experienced some sort of sexual abuse or inappropriateness in our own pasts. The natural response is to hypervigilant about any possible danger, and to protect your child at any cost. But this can get in the way of your child’s growing — and normal — awareness of his or her own body.

So YES, children do start to develop a beginning sense of body awareness — and privacy — by age 3. It’s not a fully-formed sense yet, but preschoolers do start to pick up on the fact that some areas of the body are “private”. It’s a complicated idea and so at first they can get confused. They might not totally understand whom you DO and DON’T show your private parts to….it would not be unusual for a 3-year-old to act shy about her “bottom”, even with a parent. Then there may be other times where she will run around naked, with no inhibitions. They’re trying to figure out the “rules” about who can view which body parts. It’s a long process that takes at least a couple of years to really come to grips with what is a complicated — and “loaded” — concept.

You mention that you’re worried about where she heard the word “bottom”, since you don’t use it in your family. You might think about where else she might have picked it up. Does she go to preschool? Or have friends that use the word “bottom”? Those are possibilities. She could have even overheard a mother talking to her child about it at the grocery store, for instance, “Sit on your bottom when you are in the shopping cart.” Of course I can’t know, but I’m just thinking of how often you hear parents talking to toddlers and preschoolers about stuff like that in public. Maybe that’s where she heard it.

Now, it sounds as if you are afraid something inappropriate might have happened. Of course I cannot say one way or another if that is the case; I’m not evaluating your daughter, only giving you some parenting information. But I can tell you that, usually, children who have been sexually abused show MANY signs of disturbance and regression including sleep, appetite, behavioral, and other problems. Simply using an unfamiliar word — by itself — would not necessarily concern me. I would look at her OVERALL behavior over a period of time. Of course if you have reasonable suspicion, you should report those suspicions to her doctor and the authorities. But hopefully this is just part of the normal process of your daughter learning about “public” and “private” body parts — a task that all preschoolers do work on at this age.

You might also want to check out another article of mine on the normal development of sexual sensations in preschoolers. Click here for it.

I hope that helps. Let me know if you need more help.

Aloha,

Dr. Heather
The BabyShrink

Post updated 12/2/2010

Dear Dr. Heather,

Jacki

Hi Jacki,

Toddlers often develop these quirky preferences and fears, seemingly all of a sudden. Partly it has to do with their growing awareness that scary things CAN happen; parents go away, kids get hurt, things get broken or spill, etc. Yet they cannot yet totally compute how to PREVENT those things from happening. It also has to do with their OWN aggressiveness — they see how they get mad and run away from a person or situation when they are mad, or lash out and hit etc, and worry that OTHERS will do the same thing (even if those others have never been aggressive at all). It’s a completely different mindset than that of an adult (or even a bigger kid).

I would let her regress back a bit for awhile until she gets re-acclimated to her Dad’s departure and return. Be extra reassuring, and stay home more when it’s possible. Go out gingerly and on a limited basis, if you can, until she gets back into the swing of it. GIVE HER BACK SOME OF THE CONTROL. Allow her to make choices about going out, if you can. See if there IS anyplace she would like to go — to the park? Grandma’s? Out for ice cream? And then go there. Little by little, try to sneak in additional outings, and let her know in advance of your plans. You won’t always be able to do it her way, and talk her through that. I know you don’t want to go to the store today, but we need more groceries. Do you want to go to the store AND to McDonald’s today, or just to the store? Giving her some choices will help her feel better. Then, as she grows more comfortable again, cut back on the rewards and incentives. You don’t want her to be in the “driver’s seat” forever, just until she gets comfortable again.

Try that and let us know how it goes!

Aloha,

Dr. Heather
The BabyShrink

And here’s another popular post on toddler fears (this one is about Bathtub Fears).

JACKI’S UPDATE:

Dear Dr. Heather,

Thank you so much for your help! I tried your suggestions. She got very upset at first, but I talked her thru it and gave her time to adjust. We stopped at McDonalds on the way. She did fine thru the drive-thru. She seemed better doing something familiar. She may be on her way back to herself. I won’t press it too much. She seems much more settled when I reassure her that daddy is coming home at night. I think I panicked because this went on for a week, and a week can seem like forever! Now she at least talks about going outside w/o panicking. I am glad to know that someone like you is available for these times. I appreciate it.

Jacki

~~My pleasure, Jacki! Glad to Help!

Intellectually, I remind myself that 6-year-olds aren’t rational creatures yet. They can’t hang on to the logical reassurances we give them. They haven’t reached the stage where logic “sticks” in their minds. In many ways, they’re still like preschoolers; apt to live in the “magical world” of fantasy, imagination, and fears.

But when he’s scared out of his wits, part of me wants to scream, “Snap out of it! We’re not leaving you, we never have, and we never will! Enough, already, and go to sleep!”

So I’m calling in reinforcements. I’ve pulled an awesome book off my shelf and am reminded why I think this is one of the world’s best parenting guides. If you haven’t seen it, go spend 10 bucks on Amazon for the paperback version, or check it out of your library. You’ll refer to it again and again (and I promise, I get no “cut” from promoting anything here). It’s called “Between Parent and Child”, by Dr. Haim Ginott. It was first published a million years ago, but it couldn’t be more appropriate today. His sensitivity and approach to dealing with children simply can’t be matched. Reading Ginott again has lifted a weight from my shoulders and reminded me that all will be well with our son, soon enough. It’s also given me lots of good ideas for how to approach this phase-specific anxiety he’s going through.

I hope you enjoy it!

Aloha,

Dr. Heather
The BabyShrink

Atlanta Mom

Hi Atlanta Mom,

Sudden fears of the bath at this age are quite common. One of my most-Googled posts has to do with sudden bath fears; I’ll post the link below.

In regards to his “manhood”, perhaps he’s upset that he couldn’t control it; on some level he’s starting to get the idea that “pee-pee does not belong in the tub”, yet he was unable to control himself those few times. So he’s really upset with himself and in conflict about the whole bath/potty training thing. (And of course I assume his penis doesn’t bother him any other time — like there’s not a urinary tract infection or something — also, some kinds of soap and bubble bath can be irritating. I assume that’s not it, but check it out.)

Talk to him about potty training, where pee-pee belongs, and how he accidentally peed in the tub; use a matter-of fact tone, with no scolding or worry in your voice. See if you can make it like a silly joke, so he doesn’t feel so bad. “Does pee pee belong in the tub? NO, silly! But that’s OK! We’ll keep trying and one day for sure you’ll get it!”

In the meantime, try some of the tips in my post linked below for bathtime fears, including letting him stand by the bath and playing with the water, until he feels comfortable getting back in the tub. Keep reassuring him, and go at his pace. Hang in there, I promise this will pass!

Here’s my Bathtime Fears Post:

http://babyshrink.com/2008/08/help-my-toddler-suddenly-hates-the-bath.html

Good luck and keep usposted!

Aloha,

Dr. Heather
The BabyShrink

But his older sister was more tentative, when she started school. She had to learn the routine from scratch, and didn’t have an older sibling on campus to help make her feel more at home. It took her quite awhile to get into the swing of things. For awhile, we fretted that perhaps we had chosen the wrong school, or she wasn’t in the right classroom, despite the fact that her teacher was a gem.

I’ve gotten several emails lately from parents in a similar situation. “My child just started kindergarten. She acted like she was excited to go, but now that school has started, it’s a real battle. Although she attended preschool with few problems, she’s now clingy, whiny and tearful every morning. Her teacher says she does well after I leave, and when I pick her up, she’s fine. But the next morning, all I get is crying, whining, and begging to stay home. What should I do?”

Of course it tugs at our heartstrings when our little “Big Kid” wants to stay home with us just a while longer. Their tears are surprising. We doubt ourselves, and argue over whether we made the right choice. “Maybe she’s just not ready yet,” we wonder.

But by and large, the protests put up for parents at the beginning of kindergarten are temporary, normal, and not cause for undue concern. We can help our kids get through the transition more easily if we remember where they are developmentally, and have reasonable expectations.

It’s important to understand the developmental issues of a kindergartener. A 5 or 6-year-old still has, in many ways, a preschool mind-set. We expect a kindergartener to be a “Big Kid” and go to the “Big Kids’ School”, yet emotionally, they’re still more similar to the squirrely preschoolers they were last year. Kindergarteners don’t care much about social norms, fitting in with other kids, or achieving well academically. But our current system of education in the US asks them to do just that: act like a “Big Kid”. Yet we can’t realistically expect them to behave that way until sometime in 1st or 2nd grade.

So, what to do? Luckily, most kindergarteners have a rough time for a few days (or few weeks) at most. Then, they’re off and running with the pack, happily ensconced in their classroom, with their teacher and new friends. Here’s what to keep in mind until then:

Talk with your little one about school. Listen to her fears, and clarify any confusion she has about the day. Understanding the flow of the school schedule will help her feel like she knows what’ll be happening after you leave.

Be positive, and don’t entertain a discussion about possibly staying at home. Say, “I know you feel scared. But your teacher will take care of you, and I will be there to pick you up right after school. I know you can do it. You might be scared sometimes, but you’ll have so much fun, too! What a big kid you’re getting to be.”

Rely on the teacher for advice and guidance. She (it’s usually a “she”) is an expert at this, and goes through this every year with several of the kids in kindergarten. She’ll have suggestions for how to best handle drop-offs. Usually, this involves a cheerful goodbye, a quick kiss — and then a purposeful exit.

Hold your own concerns in check until you’ve given your child (and the teacher) a few weeks to settle in. If your child is still upset about going to school, then it’s time to schedule a sit-down meeting with the teacher to explore what might be going on. You’ll also want to observe the classroom in process — unobserved by your child, if at all possible. Even a few minutes watching her will help you decide if her protests are just meant to test you — or if she’s really unhappy there.

Most of the time, kindergarten fears and tears evaporate within a few weeks. By then, we’re left tearfully wondering, “When did my baby get so grown up?”

What are your experiences with kids starting kindergarten? Care to share?

Aloha,

Dr. Heather
The BabyShrink