Today, we got up for church. I worked in the child care 3-4 year-olds.

I don’t think Jonah does as well when I am there. There is a “Mixing of worlds” so to speak.

I don’t know the standard the teachers usually hold Jonah to, but I know the standard I hold him to.

The problem is when you’re a parent-helper, you have to watch your Ausome kid and keep them happy, but also try to follow the structure of the class. It’s more than just “entertaining them.”

You are also responsible for the other kids; not just your own.

When I wouldn’t let Jonah play with ALL the toys and made him share with the other kids, he started throwing toys and hitting me. When I started reading a story to some other kids, he pulled the book right out of my hands. We had extra helpers on hand so I could deal with Jonah 1:1 until he calmed down.

He took some time to himself. The other kids went about the curriculum. Worship and Lesson time.

Jonah didn’t want to participate. He wanted to play. I wouldn’t let him get the toys out, but I didn’t force him to join the other kids.

He opted to sit by himself and play with some sensory toys he happened to find next to him. I didn’t take them away.

After a few minutes I playfully grabbed him and put him on my lap. He obliged. After a few minutes, he was fine.

It’s definitely an improvement.

I was expecting a meltdown. It never came.

By the end of class, he was happy as a clam, though he didn’t want snacks or want to make a “craft.”

I was pretty tired after church so I tried to nap a bit… it had the opposite effect I had hoped. The effect where you don’t actually fall asleep and you are more tired after than before.

We were supposed to go to my parents’ house for dinner, but Jonah had fallen asleep and I was unmotivated to wake him up.

We ended up getting there a half-hour late, and we forgot Jonah’s sippy-cup.

And of course, he asked for some milk and He won’t drink from anything else.

It ended up in a meltdown. I’ve been trying to blog about it for the last 2 days. My inspiration to write vanishes when I think about it. So I just made a video about it. Here.

We made it back to my parents house and though everyone else had finished, there was still plenty of salmon. Jonah was fine the rest of the day. He was actually fine as soon as we got to the car. He played in the back yard with Papa. He played inside. He played with Auntie and Grammy. He had fun.

Other than the meltdown it was a good Father’s day.