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Child Behavior (Expert Forum)
5 Year Old Not At All Adjusting to Kindergarten!!
Answered by
Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D. - Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy, Family Therapy, Crisis Intervention
Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates
This forum is for questions and support regarding child behavior issues such: Child Discipline (behavior management), Normal Child Development, Parent-Child Communications, Social Development
5 Year Old Not At All Adjusting to Kindergarten!!
by tmoss, Oct 16, 2002 12:00AM
HELP!!
My 5 yr. old niece recently earned the title of Kindergartner. The problem is that she does NOT want to be in Kindergarten- at all-EVER! She attends a year round school, so she began Kindergarten in July; it's mid Oct. now & she's still having some major issues.
Her 1st week of Kindergarten saw her needing her older sister to sit with her for 1 day & then leaving school early everyday (courtesy of her Grandmother) because she would break into severe crying spells. She says that she hates "Big School" & she hates naptime. She cannot stand going to the before-school program & every weekend she cries & cries because she has to go to school on Monday.
The school counselors worked w/her when she 1st started going to Kindergarten & she showed a little improvement but when the 3 week intersession break came (Sept.) & she had to go to camp- she regressed & is worse than before.
My niece's parents are currently separated & on the way to a divorce. They have been separated for 1 yr. now & truthfully, neither my niece nor her two older sisters (10& 9 yrs.) had any problems adjusting to the split so I do NOT think that the divorce is causing any of this behavior.
My sister & I are very concerned - do you have any suggestions/solutions?
My 5 yr. old niece recently earned the title of Kindergartner. The problem is that she does NOT want to be in Kindergarten- at all-EVER! She attends a year round school, so she began Kindergarten in July; it's mid Oct. now & she's still having some major issues.
Her 1st week of Kindergarten saw her needing her older sister to sit with her for 1 day & then leaving school early everyday (courtesy of her Grandmother) because she would break into severe crying spells. She says that she hates "Big School" & she hates naptime. She cannot stand going to the before-school program & every weekend she cries & cries because she has to go to school on Monday.
The school counselors worked w/her when she 1st started going to Kindergarten & she showed a little improvement but when the 3 week intersession break came (Sept.) & she had to go to camp- she regressed & is worse than before.
My niece's parents are currently separated & on the way to a divorce. They have been separated for 1 yr. now & truthfully, neither my niece nor her two older sisters (10& 9 yrs.) had any problems adjusting to the split so I do NOT think that the divorce is causing any of this behavior.
My sister & I are very concerned - do you have any suggestions/solutions?
Doctor's Answer
by Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D., Oct 16, 2002 12:00AM
, Oct 16, 2002 12:00AM
Generally, the best approach is to have the child 'bite the bullet', as they say, and make no special accomodations (like staying with the child). If an in-school counselor is available, such service can be useful, but there is no effort made to defer to the child's reluctance about attending school. Now, there are some instances, very few in number, when children are really not prepared emotionally for kindergarten, and they should wait a year. But such instances really are few and far between, and parents and others almost always recognize very early on that the child is extremely immature for the age. Though it's rare, it's worth considering.
The first 2 weeks were great, then after one small incident over talking in class she can't stand the thought of school! She is very intelligent, very popular and well adjusted. Recently she has started getting so upset she throws up. I have taken her to the doctor. Now she is on medication for nervous stomach. I can hardly deal with the crying (hysterics)after she has left for school. I am at my wits end. Please HELP!