Safety Town

As a soon to be kindergartner, Kendyl was eligible to participate in Safety Town this summer. I signed her up for a session with a ton of her preschool friends knowing full well that the separation anxiety can be pretty high for her at times. I knew I wanted her to participate and did everything I could to try and guarantee it would be a good experience.

We arrived on the first day, following our first class of swim lessons and following the first day with our new summer sitter the previous week. Swim lessons had gone so well that I dropped my guard and walked into the elementary school expecting things would go exactly as planned. Well, let me tell you, things went as far opposite from as planned as I could possibly imagine. Actually, they went worse than I would have EVER dreamed possible.

We walked into a mob scene of totally unexpected proportions. Moms were scrambling to find room assignments and trying to wade through the crowds and the hallway lined with safety officials doling out high fives. I watched as the trepidation crept in, but she was still moving and I thought it was going to be okay. We get in her assigned room and there is not one single kid that she knows AND her assigned teacher is a male. The trepidation turns to complete and utter terror. I tried to reign it in, but could tell things were spiraling out of control. Kendyl was crying and holding me tightly, so much so that Lauryl started freaking out and I was left facing two screaming kids. The teacher finally stepped in and went to remove Kendyl from my arms so I could make an escape. What followed may be the most embarrassing 5-10 minutes of my life as a parent to date...

Kendyl screamed at the top of her lungs "DON'T TOUCH ME, I DON'T WANT TO STAY HERE, STOP TOUCHING ME!!!" I try to peel her off me as the teacher steps back in shock and I place her in a chair. Within nanoseconds she flies up from the chair where I placed her and wraps her arms and legs around me with such force that I almost get knocked over. I decide we should retreat to the hallway so I can try and calm her down. I still have every intention of making her stay, but I can see the teacher is feeling pretty hopeless.

We go in the hallway and the safety town director comes to my aid. We discuss trying to find Kendyl a spot in the class where her good friend, Maura is located. As luck would have it there is one tardy kid and they were supposed to go in Maura's class so we did a quick switcheroo. I asked the director and her assistant if I could leave Kendyl in the office with them b/c I feared an episode like the one I had just witnessed, if it occurred again in front of Maura would result in her melting too. Kendyl screamed bloody murder again, but I left my cell phone number and walked away with a crying Lauryl who was super worried and scared for her sister.

I made it to the car and got Lauryl secured, before I sat dejectedly in the front seat and opened the floodgates full force. That may have been the most stressful moment in my motherhood experience to date. It made me feel like a complete and utter failure. It made it seem like everything I've done for the last 5 years to help foster her confidence and independence was wasted or at the least misplaced effort. I explained to Lauryl that sissy was just scared and was being ridiculous. The rest of the day Lauryl walked around saying "Kendyl is re-dic-we-us". If nothing else, that made me smile.

When I picked her up she was all smiles. The director said it took about 10-15 minutes to calm her down and that from then on she was fine. Thank goodness. All I could think though was that the next day our poor new sitter may have to go through what I did and that I'd come home and she'd quit! (I know, I know--jumping to conclusions just a bit).

Drop off the next day and everyday thereafter went perfectly fine and the experience was great for her. I think the things they told her and the way they told her had a very positive impact. Hopefully she'll be a little safer as a result of the experience!

Riding her bike through the pseudo-town

Being sprayed by the fire hose

Showing off her certificate

Posing with her awesome teacher

Cheesing for the camera with buddy Clara

It was a great experience and I'm glad we pushed through the first day. Hopefully, these episodes will become less and less as we keep having new experiences that stretch her comfort zone. We have lots of stuff planned this summer to help us get ready to tackle kindergarten!