The first week of July I had a new little boy start in my class. He is 2 years 3 months. He has NEVER been in a child care situation. So mom gets a full time job out of the home and so the little boy, we will call him Randy, must start at "school"So at 8 a.m. Tuesday July 5th Randy is dropped off into a room with 7 other children and a lady, ME, he has never met. His father kisses him and leaves. Randy begins to cry, and does NOT STOP until 4:30 that afternoon. This continues for 4 more days. Randy is dropped off, Randy cries or 7 hours in my class Randy's dad comes to get him.
When Randy would be crying he would repeat the same sentence over and over "I wanna see my daddy". I have worked with children with separation anxiety before. I know the best way to deal with it is to create trust and a loving environment. No matter what Randy does or says I have to make him feel and know he is in a safe place and his dad will come back to get him.
So our conversations would go like this:
Randy "I wanna see my daddy"
Lori "I know you do buddy, he will be here soon, lets play blocks"
Randy "I wanna see my daddy"
Lori "Randy, blocks are fun, they stack and we can knock them down watch...."
Randy "I wanna see my daddy"
Lori "I know you do buddy, but lets build a tower..."
Then I would carry on and act like I couldn't hear him repeat the same sentence over and over for 7 hours. There was no logic to his argument. He couldn't see or understand past what he wanted. I couldn't reason with him and explain "Dude, if you cry for 7 hours or you play for 7 hours, you still have to be here for 7 hours till dad comes back, might as well be happy for those 7 hours." So I just had to let him cry. Try to talk to him when I could and tend to his needs and work with him best I could.
I did my best every day to show him, it doesn't matter if you are sad, happy, or throwing a fit the rules in Ms. Lori's class do not change and I will love you the same no matter what. Those first few days were LONG!! For both of us. I knew I had to consistently show him that my classroom was a safe and happy place. It has taken 4 long weeks, where everyday he has cried a little less each day. Friday he only cried once and it was because I had to leave for the day.
So this is what God has been talking to me about. I can be just like Randy sometimes. When new situations happen in my life. I am dropped off into something I don't know, like or trust. I scream and cry and throw a fit. We have conversations that go like this
Me- "I wanna have it my way"
God "I know you do Lori, but that will come soon enough, here, lets enjoy this ______________ I have given you"
Me-"I wanna have it my way"
God "But this is cool too, there are all kinds of things you will learn, ways you will grow friend you will make.
Me "I wanna have it my way"
God "I have heard you say that, now lets get to work on this...."
How often do I act like the 2 yr old! I have been saved and in church my whole life. But still something happens and I throw a big ole baby fit. Then eventually I will, just like Randy, learn this is a safe happy place I can trust God will take care of me and HIS way is better and it is gonna happen this way if I like it or not, so might as well jump on board and have a good time with it.
I feel like I am in a place with God that no matter what place in life he drops me off. I can take a deep breath and say "My Father is trustworthy and true. He has NEVER let me down. He has never left me and not come back for me. He has NEVER left me to fend for myself. I might not like this. I can cry. I can weep. I can sob. But I will ALWAYS ALWAYS trust!!"
