I need to take it easy!

This afternoon I met with D’s teachers to go over his report, essentially a developmental report letting us know how well he is doing and where he is in terms of his mental and physical growth. I was a little concerned when I first saw the report card which said that he has trouble identifying three colors (red, blue and green) and that he never sits still during circle time (this is when the kids gather around and talk about the topic of the day) either chatting away to glory or up to some mischief. I couldn’t imagine D doing this as he is a quite and reserved kid, in general.

Anyway with some of contemplation and a dull, nagging feeling, I went to meet with his teachers. All my worries went away as soon as Miss Dee, the head teacher of his class started talking. She started the conversation by assuring me that if I am worried if he is behind his age, I shouldn’t be as he is right where he should be. She went on to say that he is a very respectful, kind little boy, who is liked by all his friends and has no problems or hang ups playing with anyone in his class although he spends more time with….you guessed it, the girls in his class. Of course, I wasn’t at all surprised to hear that given that fact that he has already acquired the reputation of being the ‘Don Juan’, a 3 year old ‘debonair’.

We both agreed that the problem with the color identification is his lack of focus and interest in learning at this time. He feels bogged down when we make him learn stuff that he isn’t quite interested in and hence the lack of focus. He is a playful kid, full of energy and the times he is the happiest is when he can run and jump around freely without any care in the world and definitely without his parents curtailing him. And far as the chit chatting during circle time is concerned, it turns out that he isn’t the only one. There are a few of them who are in it together and which according to his teacher, at this age, is normal behavior. Phew!

I felt proud that he has already managed to gain some level of respect from his teachers just by the way he behaves socially. And I realize that some of my expectations I have of him are quite unrealistic given his age and exposure in life. Off late, I have been losing my patience with him quite frequently during our 'learning' sessions, which of course makes me feel like crap after the fact. I know I push him, sometimes to such an extent that I think I forget that he is just a 3 year old. What more can you expect from a little child who has just started life?

This meeting today helped me put things in perspective and I hope going forward, I will exercise more control over my temper and focus on showering him all the love he deserves.

After all, for heaven’s sake, he is just a 'normal' 3 year old and I couldn't be prouder of him.