Kennedy started a new school for first grade this year. A teacher grabbing the back of her neck, her teacher calling her ridiculous for crying during class, her teacher telling her to stop itching (eczema), and the school nurse calling me very irritated to please come get Kennedy "right now" because she had been in 3 times and they could not administer her Eczema medicine whenever she needed it, well, that's just the beginning.
Kennedy went the first 3 days of first grade and had a ball. After the "neck incident" (which Jordan met with the principal over), it was never the same.
For a week, Kennedy cried in the mornings before school, during school, after school, at night, during the night, nervous wreck, shaking, nightmares, not eating dinner, constantly asking me how much longer before school. Let me just say that Kennedy went to preschool when she was 4 and kindergarten when she was 5 and never once cried for me or about going to school. She is such a social child, she loved school-even when she was in trouble. Which was often. My girl likes to talk and we'll just say that she's "full of life".
I took Kennedy to meet with the counselor and she was fine to be dropped off to visit with her. She is fine to play down the street for hours without me, she was fine to spend the night with my parents, she was fine to be alone with cousins she has never met before all weekend at a family reunion, she is fine to go to class at church, but IS NOT FINE to go to that teacher at that class at that school.
After Kennedy met with the school counselor, I met with her and was told that Kennedy had separation anxiety. Then I was told that she didn't have time to meet with Kennedy because there were a few other children she was meeting with that had traumatic events happen in their lives this year, but would meet with her when she could. I also learned that there were 20 kids in Kennedy's class and some of those are special needs children that would demand extra attention and time from the teacher. We know that Kennedy needs a great deal of time and attention from a teacher and were concerned with this.
But, this was the straw that broke the camel's back, and led to our decision: the night that Kennedy had a complete melt down at bed time knowing she was going to have to go back to her classroom the next day. Let's just say hysterical, and a tooth loose enough for her to pull out the next day was the result.
We are not in a position to put Kennedy in private school now, and due to zoning cannot get her into other public schools (we've tried). After much prayer, I knew that the best thing-the only thing for Kennedy was home school. My intention is to do it for the semester or the year. Until we've moved where she can go to a different school, or we can send her to a private school.
After telling Kennedy the decision, she tackled me with a hug and we now have our Kennedy back. So, I'm adding teacher to the resume. Prayers are needed and appreciated!
