To interfere or not to interfere
August 24, 2010 3 Comments
My son started second grade today. His new teacher seems very nice. His classroom is all laid out nice and neat. There are an equal amount of boys and girls, or near to it, in each classroom. The only trouble, all of his best friends, all three of them, are in the other second grade.
He was in tears of agony this morning about it, and did not want to go to school.
I knew he wasn’t going to be with his best friend when the list came out about three weeks ago. I didn’t know the names of all of his friends, since the classroom roster was only listed by last name, so I was hoping that at least some of the guys he considered his friends were in his class. So I decided to just let the chips fall where they may and hope for the best.
When we went to the open house at his school on this past Sunday, we found out that not one, not two, but all three of his best guy friends were together in the other classroom. It didn’t really hit him until today when I woke him up, how very sad and abandoned he felt. He didn’t want to go to school. He just wanted to stay home. As the crocodile tears rolled down his cheeks but heart sank into the pit of my stomach.
I soldiered on and got dressed, got his backpack together, and ate breakfast. Then I walked him to his classroom. Parents are allowed to actually walk all the way into the classroom on the first day of school. He was ok. No more tears, until I told him to have a good day. I reminded him he can see his friends at lunch and at recess, and then again at after school extended care. He nodded and a small tear made it’s way down his cheek. I kissed him on the head and was off to take his little sister to kindergarten.
Now I sit at my desk, wondering if I should interfere. Do I call the school and see if the two second grade teachers might be willing to bring him over to the classroom with all his friends? Do I let them know how abandoned he feels? Would I just be being an interfering parent and taking away pain and a life lesson? Or would I be helping out my shy, sad, sensitive little second grader when he really needs his mother to help him out?
Anyone care to offer an opinion or constructive and helpful advice?
Thanks,
RSM
About rocketsciencemom
Rocket Science and kids 
I can totally relate. The heart tells you to do whatever it takes to make your kid happy, but that’s not always the best thing for him. I’m not very good at figuring out what’s best, because I’m often already busy trying to fix whatever is making him/her sad. What did you end up doing?
Thank you for the sympathy. It all worked out in the end. I ended up only sort of interfering and called the teacher. After talking things over with her, I decided to keep him in the class he was assigned to. I will write up a more full explanation as my next post. Suffice to say, this teacher is awesome and I am happy he’s in her class. He gets to see his friends on recess and after school care, so he’s still got time to play with them.
Pingback: Interfering, but only a little « Rocket Science and kids