Jonah has grown up going to children’s church in the same wing of the building since he was an infant. It took time, but he fell into a good routine at church. All was well.
And then he turned 4.
When Jonah turned 4 last November, I tried to move him up with the other 4-year-olds at children’s church.
The 4-year-old classroom is actually combined with the kindergartners and in a completely different part of the building (where previously, he was not allowed to roam). I decided I would sit with him in his new classroom for the service and for as many services as it took until he got used to the new routine.
The first day, we walked into church and I pulled him away from his “usual classroom” and headed toward the “forbidden section” of 4-5 year-olds.
He screamed the whole way to the new class. I sat with him. It didn’t help. He wanted his old classroom back, with the toys with which he was familiar. He screamed for 20 minutes straight.
The teachers and other parents/kids were very understanding but that day’s class lesson was about “building your house on the ‘Rock.’ The teacher was handing out the kids “rocks” as part of a craft.
Yeeaahh…
I decided, it was too much too soon, and we headed back to his old classroom. As soon as he walked in, he was fine.
So since last November, we have been keeping him in the 3-year-old class and he has been doing fine.
The church has been very accommodating for our family letting us go at our own pace and providing us with whatever we needed.
Fast forward to this summer. All the kids ‘graduated’ into new classes. Jonah is big for a 4-year-old and his 3-year-old class was welcoming incoming 2-year-olds.
It was time. After almost 8 months, we were gonna try it again.
This time, we were prepared. I told him as soon as we got out of the car that we would be going downstairs (where the new classroom is).
Jonah protested. He hit me. Once. And then he simply covered his ears as I carried him down to his new class.
Jonny also came with us even though he is 10. Things are always better when big brother is there. We brought some of Jonah’s favorite toys from his 3-year-old class down and he happily played with them.
He didn’t cry once.
He played and shared with the other kids. He came and sat down at snack time next to brother, who made him feel right at home and he even did a painting craft, following the teacher’s directions and being careful not to spill the paint or get it on his clothes.
He didn’t try to eat the paint, or put his hands in it, (as he has typically done in the past — the kid LOVES paint).
And when it was time to transition, he did. He needed little guidance from me. The routine of the 3-year-old classroom is mostly the same as the 4-year-old class, so Jonah had an idea of what was next.
The one exception was that all the kids have a “potty break” together. Jonah (who is not quite potty-trained yet) waited patiently outside the bathroom with his teachers for his other classmates (AND DIDN’T TRY TO RUN AWAY!!!!), before happily walking with the group back to his class.
The best part is that his teacher was Ms. Jill, who has also taught him in the 3-year-old classroom and Jonah is very comfortable with her.
It went better than I could have possibly dreamed.
Seriously, you guys. Moving up classrooms had me so anxious.
This was about a month ago.
Now, I can drop him off at his 4-year-old classroom and he will fall right into the “new” routine without any fussing. He doesn’t need me or Jonny there. I’ve not been called down to class once with him since we transitioned him.
And to let Jonah know how well he has been doing, Ms. Jill sent him a letter.
Things like this are extra special when you are a parent of a child with ‘special needs.’
You prepare for and come to expect things to go wrong.
But when things actually go ‘right,’ it is one of the greatest joys of parenthood (at least for me, up to this point).
I couldn’t be more proud.
Thank you, Ms. Jill
We hope to see you again soon, as well.