Helping Puck adjust

Puck
July 2014

I got a call from Monty last week that said Puck would be moving classrooms. The school had anticipated more children than were enrolled, so his teacher would be moving to second grade, and her students would be sent to other teachers. Monty did ensure that one of Puck's friends (a boy who was in his pre-K class last year) would be in the same new class, which will help Puck with the change.

When Monty asked Puck about it, all he said was that he didn't want to have a new teacher. I'm sure Puck was happy with his teacher--she seems very nice--but I know a lot of his reaction is because Puck is not a fan of change.

Once Puck gets comfortable with something (new apartment, new teacher, new routine), he wants to keep it the same. Forever. When his norm (even if it's a new norm) changes or has to be adjusted, he gets anxious and (sometimes) rather upset.

He reacts the way a kid would react. He's a bit moody, wants to go back to the way things were, and doesn't really understand why things have to change in the first place. After all, the old way was working, wasn't it?

We try to encourage change in small ways to help keep big changes from being so devastating. We want him to understand that change can be good--even better--and while it may take a little time to get used to, it is inevitable.

You can only do what you can do from where you are.

So this week will be an adjustment week. Puck will have to get used to the new routines, rules, and people in his new class with his new teacher, and we'll get through it together.

I predict that in a couple of weeks, he won't remember that he was ever unhappy about getting a new teacher in the first place, and we'll keep marching through kindergarten.