I'm wondering how it is that I ended up with a daughter who is emotional. I think my mom would attest to the fact that I was pretty even-keel growing up. I didn't get worked up about very much.
But I am blessed with a now 10-year old daughter who gets worked up about so much! One of the benefits of half day home schooling her, I thought, would be that she wouldn't get so worked up. I was wrong. She and her best friend and another really good friend are in the same class. And today started the drama. I will spare you the conversation that began in the middle of practicing violin and ended with Boo taking a little time to calm down on her bed. Just know that as soon as it started, I knew I was being pulled in and I knew what the end result would be.
I just can't figure out if I should just keep quiet and show support or if I should go through scenarios and try to help her through it (which to me feels like I'm being drawn in.) Any advice? (I might add right here, that the Fords might have some good advice, as they are known for their dramatic presentations :)
4 comments:
In my years of teaching Kindergarten I can remember a whole LOT of girls with DRAMA. I wish I had some great words of advise. When it happened during school I would just allow the child to go to a quiet place until they could calm themselves down and return to the task we were doing.
From what I've seen, 5th grade is the worst for girly fighting issues. Last year I finally stopped giving Elise any advice because by the next day she would be best friends with whomever she was upset about the day before. I, too, would encourage her to go to a quiet spot and calm down a little.
I did start pointing out when she was going a little overboard (Really, no one talked to you today? or Everyone said they didn't believe your story? or You always forget the answers to a question the teacher asks?)
Michael does the same thing and I still haven't figured it out. I just keep telling him over and over that it's not my job to make him be happy, it's his. It may help if you give her a ball of play-dough to work with when you can see she's getting upset. Then she has something to work out frustration with. Good luck! She won't know how smart you really are till she has her own kids!
I don't have any advice...considering I'm so dramatic with my emotions, and I have a 2-yr old who is obviously more dramatic, I have no idea. All I can do at this point is ignore him, sometimes after he gets plopped on his bed for a time-out or popped on his hands (depending on the offense). I don't know that would work with a 10-yr old....
But, I just can't get over how much she looks like you! It's like looking at you when we were kids!!
Post a Comment