This week Lucas starts grade one. It will a change for both of us with him gone all day. And the other big change is that he will be going to a new school. I wanted to try him in French Immersion as both Alexis and I went to french immersion and did well with it. Lucas is a very academic kid and I think he will do really well with french immersion. But now that the time is coming I am worried about him. He is quite introverted and we learned this summer that he gets really nervous in new situations.
This summer he went to a couple of camps. I thought it would good to keep him entertained but a lot of it was a fight. It was new environments with new people. Most of the time he was happy when it was done but to get him to go was a challenge. Even yesterday he had an upset tummy and I wonder if it was because they were having a water fight which was something he hasn't done before.
So this week he is a starting a new school and is taking a bus and there will be all new people and in a new language. There is part of me that thinks it is good to push him out of his comfort zone. And that the more he does now maybe won't be so nervous of new situations. But there is another part of me that thinks maybe this is just his personality and he won't change.
What do other parents out there do? Push your kids out of their comfort zone or let them be who they are? Can I effect Lucas's personality at this age, or is he going to be who he is....
Ahh parenting. Makes you think...
Jenn
3 comments:
Lucas is virtually a clone of Darryl (somewhat shy at first, a little sensitive but intelligent, analytical, super-quick learners who are very comical once they get comfortable with new things) so I would bet that these personality traits are pretty set in Lucas.
Growing up, Mom and Dad always asked Darryl to at least try new things once. He was often the kid who was just warming up and getting comfortable as social situations or new activities were coming to an end but by giving things a chance (at least once) his shyness or hesitancy didn't hold him back from all of the experiences kids should be exposed to.
For example, we learned quickly that he didn't like sports with a lot of equipment (ice hockey/football) but he liked break-dancing or swimming. Plus, at Halloween he would have fun participating as long as his costume wasn't too cumbersome or restrictive. Minor adjustments allowed him to participate and still be comfortable.
So what I'm trying to say is...if Lucas agrees to try things (at least once) and he can be confident that Mom & Dad are willing to make minor adjustments to make him comfortable then little by little he'll come out his shell and he'll figure out which activities suit him best.
Love,
Aunt Lori
so how did he do in his first week?
I am a late reader. Since I have this blackberry, I am hardly ever on the computer, so I have missed some of these entries.
I wonder if Darryl explained to Lucas that he too, didn't like new situations, and that it is okay to be a little nervous. And let him know that the upset tummy is not being sick, rather, that the feeling is like butterflies (or dragonflies)and is just nervousness. He may relate to Darryl being like him.
Gord was the same way. After he had been somewhere once, the next time he went, he felt more comfortable. It was lots of convincing to try something out of his comfort zone.
Heck, even I am a little that way myself. I try to push myself to try new things.
It's hard being a parent, but support and lots of hugs will help.
Lucas feels like a fish out of water.
I even avoid travel to countries that don't speek English, as I too am afraid of the unknown.
Lots of Luck
Grammy
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