Saturday, October 8, 2011

Itty Bitty Football

This past week Damon has been "participating" (I use that term lightly) in Itty Bitty Football. Logan did the Baseball and Soccer and I thought that it would be a fun activity for Damon while Buddy is at preschool. Damon has been really excited about it. What I didn't expect, but probably should have, was that Damon still has some attachment issues. He was always a very clingy baby until he could move around and follow Logan and I guess I didn't realize how much Logan was his security blanket for lack of better words.

The first day he hardly participated at all and kept crying and coming back to me. The second time he got progressively better throughout the stations, but for some reason the third day was just awful. I don't think he participated in one thing. He said he wanted to play, so I would take him to his team and as soon as I would leave to go sit back by Tragon he would start crying. So, I'd have him come back with me because if any of the "coaches" tried to console him, he would yell at them and cry harder. It was a very challenging day.

I'm still not sure the best way to help him. I don't know whether it's a tough luck kid, if you're going to cry, you just miss out and have to sit by mommy or do I cater to him and follow him around on the stations. I'm definitely not going to just let him cry and throw a tantrum and ruin it for his whole team. I'm trying to find a happy medium and that worked okay for the second day...I'm just not sure what changed that third day that made him so insecure.

He really has fun when he gets into it. So I'm not giving up. I'll still take him next week, he has three more days and it's really convenient to just leave from there to pick up Logan from preschool, so regardless of his tantrums we end up staying for the whole thing. I guess I just bought an expensive shirt that doesn't really even fit him. :) Damon, I love you and I hope I can help you get over your fears, I promise activities like this are good for you. Until next time...

1 comment:

heidijogoody said...

I think you just keep working at it. The girls have always been clingy too and with swimming last year they both had major meltdowns every day we went and I still made them sit in the pool with their class even if they chose not to participate. If there is something you can bribe him with like if you do it really good today you can pick a treat afterwards at home or something like that, that has worked for my girls in the past too. I always find talking to the girls alot before hand explaining that they are going to go do this and it will be so fun they love doing it and that I don't want them to throw a fit once we get there, sometimes that helps too to prepare them. Good luck and I hope next week is lots better