Monday, February 27, 2012
Zoe and anxiety
Zoe had a good day at school today... Very little whining as she started her day, no tears at school.... As the last bunch of posts reported, her teacher and I began strategizing on how to get Zoe past some anxiety.
Now, We just have to make it past Thursday... It seems that a lot of the nervousness and anxiety at school comes from either assemblies, or library day... She hates to sit cross-legged for long periods of time and gets bored during story time... This was the case last Thursday, and she told the librarian that she felt sick... She was allowed to go to the office and they called me. I called back and we came to the decision that Zoe was acting out... She survived until pick up time. Her teacher would not had let her go to the office... Just sent her out for a drink.
In the end I tried a bunch of things... A smile chart... Both of us wearing pearls to school... And finally some art therapy... I had her draw her saddest moment (sitting at school between two smiling friends)... And her happiest (when I picked her up from school). She came back to the picture this morning telling her dad about it, and that was it. No crying, no whining.
Now, We just have to make it past Thursday... It seems that a lot of the nervousness and anxiety at school comes from either assemblies, or library day... She hates to sit cross-legged for long periods of time and gets bored during story time... This was the case last Thursday, and she told the librarian that she felt sick... She was allowed to go to the office and they called me. I called back and we came to the decision that Zoe was acting out... She survived until pick up time. Her teacher would not had let her go to the office... Just sent her out for a drink.
In the end I tried a bunch of things... A smile chart... Both of us wearing pearls to school... And finally some art therapy... I had her draw her saddest moment (sitting at school between two smiling friends)... And her happiest (when I picked her up from school). She came back to the picture this morning telling her dad about it, and that was it. No crying, no whining.
Fwd: Zoe
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Gardner, Marie-Claire
Date: Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Subject: Zoe
To: Amy Gooch <amy.a.gooch@gmail.com>
Hi Amy,
Zoe was a little teary when she arrived in the classroom this morning; however, after that she seemed to gather herself together and was absolutely fine. I think the pearls have worked! She was smiling and laughing on the carpet during calendar time and had fun writing with Sydney during centres.
I thought you'd like to know!
Marie-Claire Gardner
Kindergarten French Immersion Teacher
École Campus View Elementary School
phone: (250) 477-0178
mgardner@sd61.bc.ca
From: Gardner, Marie-Claire
Date: Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Subject: Zoe
To: Amy Gooch <amy.a.gooch@gmail.com>
Hi Amy,
Zoe was a little teary when she arrived in the classroom this morning; however, after that she seemed to gather herself together and was absolutely fine. I think the pearls have worked! She was smiling and laughing on the carpet during calendar time and had fun writing with Sydney during centres.
I thought you'd like to know!
Marie-Claire Gardner
Kindergarten French Immersion Teacher
École Campus View Elementary School
phone: (250) 477-0178
mgardner@sd61.bc.ca
Zoe and anxiety
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Amy Gooch
Date: Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Subject: Zoe
To: "Gardner, Marie-Claire" <mgardner@sd61.bc.ca>
She had an even harder morning this morning. She seemed fine when she
woke up, but within 10 minutes she starting crying about going to
school, and that lasted all morning.
Bruce dropped her off and she was quite upset about both it not being
me and going to school.
She was not sick on Monday, I kept her because Bruce and I had worked
all weekend (not typical) and I thought we all needed a family day.
(I know I needed a break; we had a nice day at the museum downtown)
She has just settled in on some anxiety over lots of things,
especially school, but it does seem to permeate her now; I took her
to IMAX show (Cirque de Soliel) and she did the "I need to go to the
bathroom" even though she just had... I made her sit through it.
her first preschool (age 3) was tough... just 2 hours a day, twice a
week, I was there through most of it.
her second one (age 4) at Arbutus Grove Children's Center was great...
and I never stayed for it. She had issues with "missing mom", but I
gave her the locket and she wore it every day for 3 months or more. I
couldn't find it this morning, so I put pearls on both of us and told
her to rub them when she missed me.
When I characterized her when she was young I would always say she has
a fear of new people and new places. I think changes in staff have
just hit her now, that she thought she knew what to expect at school..
she was comfortable, and apparently the assemblies and new music
teacher have touched on something she is having trouble getting past.
Amy
From: Amy Gooch
Date: Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Subject: Zoe
To: "Gardner, Marie-Claire" <mgardner@sd61.bc.ca>
She had an even harder morning this morning. She seemed fine when she
woke up, but within 10 minutes she starting crying about going to
school, and that lasted all morning.
Bruce dropped her off and she was quite upset about both it not being
me and going to school.
She was not sick on Monday, I kept her because Bruce and I had worked
all weekend (not typical) and I thought we all needed a family day.
(I know I needed a break; we had a nice day at the museum downtown)
She has just settled in on some anxiety over lots of things,
especially school, but it does seem to permeate her now; I took her
to IMAX show (Cirque de Soliel) and she did the "I need to go to the
bathroom" even though she just had... I made her sit through it.
her first preschool (age 3) was tough... just 2 hours a day, twice a
week, I was there through most of it.
her second one (age 4) at Arbutus Grove Children's Center was great...
and I never stayed for it. She had issues with "missing mom", but I
gave her the locket and she wore it every day for 3 months or more. I
couldn't find it this morning, so I put pearls on both of us and told
her to rub them when she missed me.
When I characterized her when she was young I would always say she has
a fear of new people and new places. I think changes in staff have
just hit her now, that she thought she knew what to expect at school..
she was comfortable, and apparently the assemblies and new music
teacher have touched on something she is having trouble getting past.
Amy
Zoe and anxiety
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Gardner, Marie-Claire
Date: Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Subject: Zoe
To: Amy Gooch <amy.a.gooch@gmail.com>
Hi Amy,
Thanks for the email.
Zoe had a very sad morning until recess. She came in and right away was sobbing and saying she missed her mum. I tried to comfort her, but it didn't seem to help at all. All the other children had made 100th Day hats yesterday while she was away and she sat to make hers. She cried while doing that even though I helped her. When she was finished she came to the carpet and couldn't stop crying. I was going to call you, but she stopped when we started to count our items from home. She was then fine for the rest of the day. Was she sick yesterday or did you keep her home because she didn't want to come to school? I am wondering if this morning's difficulty was because she thought she would get to leave if she kept saying "I miss my mom". Just a thought.
You mentioned that Zoe had some difficulty getting though pre-school. Can you tell me more about that? It may shed some light on what is going on now. I am not sure what the change has been for her at school. She normally never cries and usually only shows discomfort regarding assemblies/presentations in the gym, as we talked about. Do you have any ideas where this anxiety may be coming from? When she mentions being dizzy or have a sore stomach is it always school-related or are there other times when these excuses arise?
I want to make sure she enjoys the rest of her kindergarten year, as I am sure you would like as well. The sliver locket is a great idea!
Let me know what you think.
Thanks,
Marie-Claire
________________________________________
From: Gardner, Marie-Claire
Date: Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Subject: Zoe
To: Amy Gooch <amy.a.gooch@gmail.com>
Hi Amy,
Thanks for the email.
Zoe had a very sad morning until recess. She came in and right away was sobbing and saying she missed her mum. I tried to comfort her, but it didn't seem to help at all. All the other children had made 100th Day hats yesterday while she was away and she sat to make hers. She cried while doing that even though I helped her. When she was finished she came to the carpet and couldn't stop crying. I was going to call you, but she stopped when we started to count our items from home. She was then fine for the rest of the day. Was she sick yesterday or did you keep her home because she didn't want to come to school? I am wondering if this morning's difficulty was because she thought she would get to leave if she kept saying "I miss my mom". Just a thought.
You mentioned that Zoe had some difficulty getting though pre-school. Can you tell me more about that? It may shed some light on what is going on now. I am not sure what the change has been for her at school. She normally never cries and usually only shows discomfort regarding assemblies/presentations in the gym, as we talked about. Do you have any ideas where this anxiety may be coming from? When she mentions being dizzy or have a sore stomach is it always school-related or are there other times when these excuses arise?
I want to make sure she enjoys the rest of her kindergarten year, as I am sure you would like as well. The sliver locket is a great idea!
Let me know what you think.
Thanks,
Marie-Claire
________________________________________
Zoe and anxiety
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Amy Gooch
Date: Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Subject: Zoe
To: "Gardner, Marie-Claire" <mgardner@sd61.bc.ca>
Mme. Gardner,
Zoe seems to be doing bit more of the whining lately, and it comes in
two flavors:
1) "I'm dizzy"... I don't think there is a physical thing going on, so
I just tell her to take a big breath and exhale slowly and to open her
mouth really wide like a yawn (then add some other comforting words)
2) "my stomach hurts"... I've been talking to her about feeling
scared versus nervous vs uncomfortable vs excited and trying to
differentiate between the bunch. I've been trying to talk to her
about concentrating on the good parts, not the negative, thinking
about the things she likes, not the things that make her uncomfortable
let me know how the day goes.
To get through preschool she had this silver locket I gave her, I
think I will find it again.. it seemed to help.
Amy
From: Amy Gooch
Date: Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Subject: Zoe
To: "Gardner, Marie-Claire" <mgardner@sd61.bc.ca>
Mme. Gardner,
Zoe seems to be doing bit more of the whining lately, and it comes in
two flavors:
1) "I'm dizzy"... I don't think there is a physical thing going on, so
I just tell her to take a big breath and exhale slowly and to open her
mouth really wide like a yawn (then add some other comforting words)
2) "my stomach hurts"... I've been talking to her about feeling
scared versus nervous vs uncomfortable vs excited and trying to
differentiate between the bunch. I've been trying to talk to her
about concentrating on the good parts, not the negative, thinking
about the things she likes, not the things that make her uncomfortable
let me know how the day goes.
To get through preschool she had this silver locket I gave her, I
think I will find it again.. it seemed to help.
Amy
Friday, February 24, 2012
Monday, February 20, 2012
Bloody nose
I had just asked Zoe if she was okay, I thought I saw a bloody nose... She has had quite a few lately. Fifteen minutes later she comes to me with a "boohoo", and it looks like she is running blood under her nose... 10 seconds later I realize it is marker! That little trickster!
--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Tell me and I'll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I'll understand."
Chinese Proverb
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dr. Amy Ashurst Gooch http://www.csc.uvic.ca/~agooch
Assistant Professor amy.a.gooch at gmail.com
Computer Science amygooch at uvic.ca
University of Victoria agooch at cs.uvic.ca
(250)-483-5941 (Canada)
(801)-649-3923 (SLC Virtual)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Tell me and I'll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I'll understand."
Chinese Proverb
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dr. Amy Ashurst Gooch http://www.csc.uvic.ca/~agooch
Assistant Professor amy.a.gooch at gmail.com
Computer Science amygooch at uvic.ca
University of Victoria agooch at cs.uvic.ca
(250)-483-5941 (Canada)
(801)-649-3923 (SLC Virtual)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Mt Washington
Zoe, Finn and I headed to Mt. Washington (4 hours by car up island) with friends Lise and her daughter Claire to find snow. Lise and her family ski, and we had plans to get Zoe into lessons, but her cold/cough/sore throat of two weeks suddenly turned the night before the trip to strep. A visit to the Dr. on the way out of town got her antibiotics, but Zoe was so unhappy and sore that she cried all the way to Nanimo (2 hours).. I finally bought some Gravol and it put her to sleep. Of course, at several points Finn was not to be topped by the crying and added as much as he could to it, insisting he get out of his chair. We survived the drive up and by 6pm that night, Zoe looked like a real person again... amazing. We ended up spending Saturday on the Tubbing Run (fabulously fun.. if a little scary for the mom), as well as sledding and snowman building right out our front door. The next day we did more sledding, and packed up about 1pm. The drive back was harrowing due to vast quanties of rain and fog in all the hard places... Bruce spent about 1 hour on the phone with me to keep me company while doing the night driving part ( I will not do night driving there again)... The kids and I enjoyed the trip and look forward to our second time in March.
Happy valentines day
It says ...phonetically...
Nana
Thanks for valentine
princess castle
Last week Zoë told me as we were leaving the elementary after picking up Finn:
"I wish Megan, Lauren, Alma and I could live in a princess castle and ~the~ parents can be our servants"
(how different is that than her current life???)
"I wish Megan, Lauren, Alma and I could live in a princess castle and ~the~ parents can be our servants"
(how different is that than her current life???)
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Zoe just read to me
Zoe is working on reading and writing in full force in school.
Her new home work is to read a book with a parent... Her book has two to three words on each even page, with a picture on the other side... About 15 pages long. Tonight, she started off with "bebe" as a sight word and after reading the book through three times I believe she has almost 5 new sight words... In French...
She knows all of the sounds, and remembers well when I tell her things like "that letter is a ghost letter".
Utterly amazing!
Her new home work is to read a book with a parent... Her book has two to three words on each even page, with a picture on the other side... About 15 pages long. Tonight, she started off with "bebe" as a sight word and after reading the book through three times I believe she has almost 5 new sight words... In French...
She knows all of the sounds, and remembers well when I tell her things like "that letter is a ghost letter".
Utterly amazing!
Blowing bubbles
We can add blowing bubble gum bubbles to Zoe's latest parlor tricks. She is so proud and excited...
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
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