Adjusting

My little boy is officially a preschooler now. This is his second week of school, and he is, let's just say, adjusting. By "adjusting," of course, I mean that he clings and/or cries. His assistant teacher cannot leave the room because my son is permanently attached to her. Today was the first day he actually cried when I left, but there were tears during the day last week -- mostly during music class during one "sad song" or another. He's very sensitive to music, that kid, and cannot handle minor chords.

It's tough leaving him when I know he's missing me, but at the same time, I know he needs to get used to it now. He's three. I feel guilty for not having prepared him better -- by putting him in daycare, by leaving him with sitters more, etc. He's the only kid in his class who seems to be having this difficult a time adjusting. It's not as if he's constantly in tears or anything -- he loves his school and his teachers and has learned something like a million songs already -- but he's just not adjusting as smoothly as the other kids are. Last week I worried and worried about it. It's easy to blame myself, or even to become impatient with my son.

He is who he is, though. It's not fair of me to expect him to be something different. Change is difficult for him. He's coping the best way he can -- by going to school (usually willingly) despite being afraid, participating as much as he feels able, asking for the support he needs (i.e. clinging to the assistant teacher), and pretend-play rehearsing learning circle and music class when he is home as sort of a practice for the real thing. If it takes him longer than it takes the other kids, fine. I have to stop comparing him to them. He's making progress at his own pace. I need to chill out. He'll adjust.

If I keep telling myself that, perhaps I'll adjust, too.