Hello, hello! Today’s lack of fun facts is brought to you by the fact(s) that…
1. We are still working on adjusting to kindergarten and WOAH baby, it is proving to be exhausting some days. Or more like most days. Luckily, school itself seems to be going just fine, and from the few details we’re being fed here and there, he seems to really be enjoying it and is making some new friends(!).
But it’s the after school-dinner-bedtime routine that is throwing us for a loop. My babe is absolutely tired, no doubt about it…but it only makes him even MORE off the walls. And then on top of that, there’s the extra whining, defiance, and acting out way more than we’re used to. I’ve been told to give the adjustment a good 1-2 months, and I’m totally trying to extend him some grace, because I know how hard his little brain is working during the day. But holy crap, we’re definitely all still working things out! Any veteran kindergarten moms out there with any tips??
2. There has been lots of coffee. With a side of some beautiful flowers from our neighbor.
3. I’ve made the decision to revamp our current “office” situation, so I’ve been spending all of my spare time browsing the web for fun ideas and all. the. things. It basically still looks like a variation of THIS, along with this latest purchase, but I really want to make a little dedicated area for Lucas to do his homework (i.e., small table and chairs, place to hang his work, etc.). All of my ideas are slowly starting to come together, so I’m excited to really get rolling on it and share our progress along the way.
4. For my fellow Rachel Hollis fans out there, have you heard about her #Last90Days Challenge? I’ve loved everything about her so far, so I figured it wouldn’t hurt to join in and see what the challenge is all about (it’s free!).
I’m all for working to finish out the rest of 2018 on a strong, positive note. Let me know if you decide to join in, too!
5. This really is all I have for fun facts today, sadly, because it’s been quite a week. Soooo, I’m gonna leave you all here and head on my merry way because it’s Thursday night as I’m typing this and this girl is just ready for BED.
Hope you all have a fabulous Friday and a fun weekend ahead!
Jess says
Love Rachel Hollis!! Thanks for sharing that, I just signed up!
JEN says
Excited for the fall weather we are suppose to get this weekend!!! oh and just signed up for #last90dayschallenge!!! woo hoo
Kelly says
I am right there with you on the kindergarten front. The first 3 weeks were AWFUL here, but knock on wood he seems to be adjusting. Patience was running very short on all fronts. And why don’t they tell us more about their day? :) It is more of an adjustment for me knowing every detail of his day to pretty much knowing he gets snack, lunch, and recess. HA.
Courtney says
Right?! It’s SO hard for me to not want to ask him 1,001 questions when he gets home. I want to know about it ALL! Haha :)
Mary says
Ahhhh…the adjustment to Kindergarten. Our otherwise very well-behaved daughter became unrecognizable after the school day ended. Fighting the grumpiness was futile. Our approach was to acknowledge the grumpiness, assuring her it’s okay to be grumpy (just like adults are at the end of a long day) but disrespectful behavior would not be tolerated in any way, shape or form. We did a LOT of, “it’s not what you say but how you say it”. We had to remind ourselves that she behaved well in school and, at that point, that’s what was most important. It is extremely taxing, but pointing out the disprespectful behavior every. single. time. is important (remembering that some behavior is, indeed, age appropriate…still not acceptable, though) and cutting some slack when necessary, especially if they just dont know any better. He is a smart little guy so have confidence that he can do better. No point in keeping the bar too low. Our daughter was fine once first grade started. Consisitency is key and I also learned that keeping my cool (most of the time…ok, half the time LOL) really did help. We see parents now who cut too much slack and its much harder to correct as they get older and the behavior is much worse. Best of luck…it will all work out!
Courtney says
Awesome comment, Mary! Thanks so much for the feedback and suggestions!!
Nikki says
I signed up for her challenge too!! I’m excited to see what she has to offer during it, I love her book and podcast so I’m sure it will be nothing but amazing! I hope things get better with little man, fingers crossed for you!
Lindsay says
I cannot find the article now, but this was my son two years ago when he started kindergarten. The article basically said that they are working so hard during the school day to follow the rules, self-regulate, etc, that once they come home and are back in a comfortable environment with people they love and trust that they totally fall apart. Their brains and bodies have been working so hard during the day and they get home and let it all out! It had recommended when they got home not asking them a million questions about their day, but instead let them come home, have a snack ready, and let them relax. It took a month or so but it definitely got better! Good luck!!!
Britt says
This article is super helpful! https://www.todaysparent.com/kids/school-age/after-school-restraint-collapse-is-a-real-thing-heres-how-to-deal-with-it/
Courtney says
Thanks for sharing that, Britt!
Fiona @ Get Fit Fiona says
I just signed up for the 90 day challenge! How do you like her book? I see it all over social media but I haven’t read it yet.
Courtney says
LOVED her book!! Feel like I need to go back and read it again!
Brigid says
School is a huge adjustment. I have 8th, 10th and 12th graders and they still have to adjust to the school year…get cranky, etc. Kindergarten is definitely an adjustment for most and the advice you received is right, it takes 1-2 months for him to get into the groove. Even though they are tired, I would suggest you still stick to your rules. He’s around new kids that may behave differently than he is allowed to behave in your house. Kids still need to know their limits are there. Good luck and it’ll get better. You are not alone.
Courtney says
Thanks so much, Brigid!
Jocelyn says
Just signed up – super excited! Let’s do this!!!
Courtney says
WOO HOO!!!
ErikaMC says
Yes, kids are crazy after a full day of listening and behaving that they kinda just let loose in the comfort of their home and families at the end of the day. This is good in a sense that you are teaching him and he knows how to behave in school. Doesn’t make it any easier though. Does he get a snack during the day? One thing I’ve found that helps a little bit is offering a snack right after school. We’ve also started having quiet time for just 10 minutes – he goes to his room by himself and can do whatever he wants (play, read, stare at the wall) to help decompress – after a day of being around people and noise the quiet is nice for a little bit. We also don’t allow TV or screen after school. I know it seems like it’s a way for them to chill but in our experience it just leads to more issues especially when it’s time to turn it off. There are still fits thrown and consequences for those. There has to be some grace given knowing what they are going through but that doesn’t give them a free pass to get away with bad behavior. My son is in first grade this year and we’ve been having a listening issue and he even said to me the other day “Mom, I listen all day at school and when I get home I’m just over it.” Ha! Also, it’s kinda nice to know it’s not just happening at our house :)
Courtney says
Haha, DEFINITELY not just happening in your house! ;) He gets lunch at 11 and then snack around 2-2:30, so he hasn’t been super hungry when he gets home. I do allow him some quiet time to just relax for a little bit, and I try SO hard not to ask him 1,001 questions about his day lol. Here’s hoping things continue (start, lol?) to go well for us this year! :)
Ashlee Z says
I just signed up for the Last 90 Days too. I love Rachel Hollis! The book was amazing, the podcast is amazing, and she is a rockstar!
Mason is exactly a year older than Lucas. Kindergarten helped us move Mason’s bedtime earlier. He now goes to bed around 8 instead of the 9 before we started fulltime school. This year seems to have started worse with the whining, oh lord the whining! We have moved his bedtime back another 15 -30 minutes. We just try to do homework when we get home with him and then work on dinner and play/baths then it is bedtime routine (reading.) It does take a bit to adjust, but after a couple months it will even out and life will just be BUSY!
Courtney says
“Life will just be BUSY” – lol that is SO true!!! Hope Mason has a great year! :)
Jessica says
We didn’t have this problem last year in Kindergarten (Our son went to a half day one), but this year, transitioning to all day first grade was a little rough for him.
What has helped US the most (And honestly, this depends on each individual child and their temperament) has been to give him a snack after school and allow him some down-time right away. Yes, there is some homework, and a backpack to be unloaded etc, but for the first half hour after school I let him relax in the way of his choosing. Sometimes that is t.v./video game time, sometimes he wants to play alone in his room, sometimes he wants to hang out/play with me, sometimes he wants to play outside. But the point is that he gets to eat and relax however he wants to. (Within reason, lol)
It struck me that adults have ways they like to unwind after a long day and kids definitely seem to need that too.
Courtney says
That is so true! And this is something I’ve been trying to do for him as well. I can see where it helps a little, but offering his tablet or time with the Wii is always SO tricky because some days it becomes even MORE of an issue when it’s time to turn it off! Hopefully your little guy’s transition to 1st grade continues to go well for him <3
Callie says
My coworker and I just signed up for the 90 day challenge!!
Chrissy says
My biggest guy is only in preschool, but he’s in a new school this year and I kept peppering him with questions each day about what he did, what he learned, etc. He really didn’t even respond. But then I realized that those questions weren’t the things he cared about from school, so I started asking what the funniest thing that day was, if anyone kicked the soccer ball into the tree, did anyone make any silly noises. Those questions seemed easier for him to answer and to start engaging. But he’s also EXHAUSTED and so on the weekends we are letting him sleep as much as he wants – generally from 8 pm until past 9 am each day!
Jill says
I feel like there’s no right answer on what to during the kindergarten adjustment, but we push through and do dinner, and bath pretty early in evening (we pick him up at 4:45 from aftercare). Then we let him relax for the rest of the night after that. We get our battles done early!
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