What is going on?!
So Tyler has recently developed some sort of crazy social anxiety problem. He's always been shy, but this is taking it to a whole new level. It first started 2 Sun. ago when we took him to nursery and he literally clung to me and would not let me go. It was SO bizzare. Even his nursery leaders were like, what's going on with him? You'd think we beat him in here or something. It took us 10 min. of LOTS of coaxing and LOTS of distraction from awesome leaders to get him away from us so we could escape. Then in the middle of the week I took him into Bobby's work with me and some of the girls were trying to talk to him and he started to growl at them, his face turned all red and he held his breath until it looked like he was going to pass out. (Bryan, I know you remember this!!) It sounds really funny, but it's SO embarrasing for me because he's never like this! The more attention he got, the more intense and longer he did it. He's never been one to want the attention on him and is more comfortable hanging out in the background. Then several times throughout the week he would do it, and I noticed it was always in some sort of social situation where strangers would try to talk to him; the grocery store, resteraunt, the mall, etc. He acted the same way this Sun. when we took him to nursery and growled at one of the nursery leaders.
If I reprimand him for it he starts to cry, so I know that I'm hitting a sore spot and it has something to do with him being embarrased rather than him trying to be mean or something, so I don't get mad at him for it. But it's hard for me to talk him through it because he's not old enough to talk about feelings and really understand what they are, why he has them, and how he should control/present them. And I don't want him to feel like he can't express emotions or feelings or needs to be punished for having those feelings, but he does need to find a better way of expressing them. My mom gave me a good suggestion, which was to tell him whenever he's feeling like he wants to growl give him an idea of something else to do, something that distracts him from the feeling I guess. But I'm at a total loss and kind of worried. Any suggestions?
4 comments:
Hm I wonder if it has anything to do with adjusting to the new baby and not having quite as much attention as before. I know Chase has been acting up, just misbehaving a lot more than before baby sister came along! Maybe this is just a stage Tyler's going through, temporarily?
I saw this all the time when I worked at the gym daycare and when I was in Nursery. It's a phase. Kids will love Nursery one week and be really clingy the next week. I say wait it out. Sorry no stellar advice!
tell him to meow instead! (inside joke - i think you know it lol)
Okay I am mean! :) Awww poor Tyler!
I am so sorry. You always dream of you kids being super friendly and one that will charm anyone (which Tyler does naturally with those LONG eyelashes and beautiful eyes). I read in Parents magazine (I know this is lame) about not reprimanding your child for expressing themselves, but if you think it is a phase than to tell the person, "He is learning to express his emotions, please don't take it personally." I don't know if that helps, but with Niev it does. She is now telling strangers not to look at her. Good luck!
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