How to handle new classes for your child

[Guest guest]

I had tough day yesterday. My 5 year old has AS and SPD and not ADHD but

serious distraction issues. I feel like somedays I'm a drill sargent, barking

out orders, " shoes!, socks!, get in the car, get in the car! "

My DD has always had really rough time with new things, and yes, I get it but

yesterday my patience was very short and I was so annoyed.

We had to go to the dollar store for some food containers and while we were

there I allowed DD to pick out a toy. I told L that if she put a good effort in

and tried at her new karate class last night, she could get the item after the

class.

We talked about the class, we watched a video, i felt prepared. we get in

there, she's all " I'm scared, I want to leave " .... the way the class was set up

was it's in a huge gym, with the kids spread across 2 lines front and back with

the parents all watching all around the perimeter. 3 instructors in the front,

put if you are in the back line the front is actually pretty far away.

I was immediately frustrated and annoyed. we go thru this all the time and

knowing that she has aspergers doesn't help. i get that new things are hard for

her but at the same time, I'm thinking, I am not going to go thru this with her

for every single new thing in her life. I held my ground, was extremely FIRM.

" NO, get out there now. You TRY! " . Reminded her of her bunny, how she was gonig

to be sad b/c chloe was going to get something and she wasn't....

Then this lady comes over to me, i think trying to help. she tells me how this

other kid in the room never wanted to get on the mat for the whole first season,

she said " his mom just let him sit next to her and watch until he was

comfortable wtih it. And now, this is his second session and he's in the front

row " .

i seriously wanted to punch her in the FACE! To me, paying for something and

letting my 5 YEAR OLD just sit on the side is not okay!

Anyway I was feeling like everyone was looking at me and expecting me to be

sympathetic mom but i was being angry mom. I felt like i needed to be firm but

questioned myself.

about 1/2 way through the class they took the kids out side to walk around or

something, then came back in, and broke into groups. the first thing the group

did was to have to walk over mats which ran the length of the room for

practicing balance. L (somehow) managed to get first in line for this and guess

what? SHE DID IT! I couldn't believe it! she walked over these mats in front of

the whole room filled of people. then she did the next activity and the next

too.

can't tell you how proud of her I was and how validated i was knowing that my

firmness was the right thing to do.

but every day there must be 30 different times that I question myself and how

I'm handling something. THIS IS SO HARD!

Wanted to ask how you all handle these situations where you are trying a new

class?

Regina