The first thing was changing to a new Sunday School class that Sunday. New room, new teachers, new kids, new songs... She was scared at first, but she saw a friend from her old class, and they paired up. Then it wasn't so bad.
The next day, Ashlyn started a new class at the Des Moines Playhouse. She was really excited about it--until we got there. More new faces--no familiar ones. She clung to my leg and didn't want to let go. The teacher saw she was nervous and let her be the line leader to lead the kids to the room. As she led the kids down the hall, she looked back at me with the saddest face. I thought she would cry, but she didn't.
And then the day after that, she started a new gymnastics class. New gym, new teacher, new kids, same story. She had fought so hard to be brave for the new transitions on Sunday and Monday. But Tuesday--the third new transition in a row--was more than she could handle. Getting her to go into the class was tough. And two minutes after she went in, I heard someone bawling in the gym. A teacher opened the door and ushered the bawling child out to me.
Poor kid. I knew it was hard for her. But I reminded her how much she had loved her new Sunday School class after she got over being nervous. And how crazy she was about her new drama class at the Playhouse. We had some hugs and got a drink. There were still more tears, but I managed to peel her off my arm and turn her over to her new teacher.
It didn't take long. It usually doesn't. She came out of her gym class saying she wanted to go back again the next day because it was so fun. That's how Sunday School and drama class had also gone--she came bouncing out of the rooms, talking about how excited she was to go back again as soon as possible.
Her drama class was the only thing that she had every day that week. As much as she loved her class, it was still difficult for her to leave me each morning. But at the end of each class, she came bounding out, excitedly chattering about all the things she had done or made in class.
After Thursday's class, she planned some family time for us all that evening. She had made several things in her class, and wanted to use them to make up and tell us stories. (She loves to make up stories!)
Then Friday she got to see a play (The Cat in the Hat) with the rest of her class, and the kids made their own hats like the Cat wore in the story.
We celebrated a successful week of drama classes with a picnic and treats at a bakery across the street.
It was a good start to our summer--even if it did involve some anxiety and tears. We'll keep reminding Ashlyn to be brave and remind her of the fun things she's already done. It's a tough phase to go through, but we won't let it rule our summer fun! What kinds of things do you do to help encourage your kids when they're feeling overly shy or anxious?
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