Les petits dessins

As I am finding a new normal in a temporary full-time teaching position, and Mon Cœur (MC) is finding her new normal back in daycare routine, we are both struggling a little.

For three days in a row, last week, she was upset when I left her at daycare. The last two mornings really crushed my heart – as soon as we made the turn into the parking, she started crying, and not fake crying, like real waterworks.

I went around to get her out of the car seat and she said, “Mommy I want go home!” I looked in her eyes, drowning in tears, and I said, “Let’s just go in and say hi, okay?”

So I gave her her pacifier back, we went in, and we sat and read a book together. She took Babar for courage and there were a couple of other friends in the daycare already, so after we read a book together, I asked her to pick another one and read it with her friends to Babar…and then I snuck out.

I was at a loss – I wanted to just call my mom and have her watch MC for the rest of the time I’m subbing, or just to stop subbing, but I know that’s not addressing the issue, it’s just a go around. So I called her at lunch.

And the suggestion she made was perfect. And it came from the parenting book that I’m still reading – How to Talk So Little Kids Will Listen. Mom said, “Draw a picture of your days – you draw the best & worst parts of your day, and have her draw the best and worst parts of her day.”

Sometimes you’re so entrenched in a problem that you forget all the simple ways of addressing it.

When I picked her up she was all smiles and absolutely happy. When we got home I told MC that we would draw our days. Two minutes later, I’m still unpacking from both of our days, trying to repack for the next day, and then realize dinner has to be made, and it’s almost dinner time. After dinner it’s bath time and then bed time. Instead of making the time to draw, I flit around the house trying to accomplish many tasks at once. I forget how hectic evenings are when also working a full time job.

We do at least talk about her day –

• “I play friends”
• “I read”
• “I draw”

We try again the next day, and we find a little more time to draw. I ask her what she drew and I label the picture by writing what she tells me. Then yesterday, when we arrived home, MC said, “Draw day?” So we sat down again, and she drew some scribbles for me.

I’m hoping that while we continue in this “new normal” or anytime we hit a bump in the road, that these petits dessins (little pictures) will help us find the positives in our days.

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