Getting Young Child Started with Activities - How Best to Help Acclimate?

Updated on March 22, 2011
S.S. asks from New York, NY
7 answers

I took my 3 year old son to his first gymnastics class this past weekend. He's a very shy boy at first and takes a while to get acclimated. He showed a great deal of interest in what the other kids were doing but refused to get on the floor and try things out without me. Given that this is not a mommy and me class, I was very hesitant to get on the floor with him. Additionally, I'd had friends suggest that it's best to have the child sit wtih you, on the side, until they find the courage to participate in the class themselves, even if it takes 4, 6, or 8 classes. After about 20 minutes of the class, I could just see my son dying to get out there and try the stuff but he was too scared to do it without me. Finally, I relented and ran through all the activities with him. He was as happy as could be and did very well. I tried to move away from him as much as possible, stay on the sidelines, and just encourage him whenever possible. By the end of the session, he was feeling comfortable enough to leave me and go play with the other kids for five minutes. We've signed up for the gymnastics program and will be going there for the next few months. What should I do when we go back? Have him sit on the sidelines with me until he finds the courage to try things on his own or go through the activites with him one more time (for 10 or so minutes) and then firmly tell him he's on his own? What have you done in these situations? This was my son's first class and he's a very social kid but very shy at first. He's also fairly attached to me and the last thing I want to do is deepen that dependency. As an FYI, he goes to day care and LOVES it. It took him a little bit to get into it but now he looks forward to going and is thriving. Thoughts?

Thx,
S.

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M.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

I agree with Krista P. Keep doing what you're doing.

I would also talk to him before class or just several times throughout the day. Maybe tell him what to expect, how proud you are of him and that he is going to do so great in Gymnastics!! Be excited for him but be patient at the same time.

My son was exactly as you are describing your son. Very shy at first, very clingy but I was very patient with him.

Believe me it passes, and then you will miss it!

5 moms found this helpful
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K.P.

answers from New York on

Keep doing exactly what you are doing... sit with him for 10 minutes or so, run through the activities with him and then let him go. We went through this with swim lessons... three weeks into it, he was running past me to hug the instructor! We also go through this at birthday parties, large group activities, etc. They are so little and the world seems so "big"... as long as he's eventually joining-in, he'll do it on his own soon enough!

4 moms found this helpful

S.T.

answers from Washington DC on

sounds to me as if you are doing a great job of encouraging him, giving him security and letting him move forward at his own comfort level.
go you!
:) khairete
S.

3 moms found this helpful
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R.K.

answers from Appleton on

I realize that gymnastics and martial arts are very different but a class is a class. When new kids started martial arts classes a student would help them get more involved. Even if a parent was taking class also, while they were there the parent was a student not a parent. The instructors took over your child's instruction and acclimation. The school should have an instructor or experienced student helping your son to get involved. I would also think it's a liability issue it's too easy for a new student to get hurt and should be taken care of by an instructor not a parent.

1 mom found this helpful
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L.R.

answers from Washington DC on

Unless I missed it big-time, I didn't see you mention the instructor at all. That seems like an important omission. Did you talk with the instructor about what you should do next time? Did the instructor seem irritated that you were out there with your son? Did the instructor make any announcements to parents, before class began, about whether or not to do that, or whether they were welcome to stay or go? I would think, since this was the first session, the instructor should have talked to the parents briefly as a group just to introduce how the class would work. I'd talk with the instructor if you haven't already done so. If he or she has much experience with kids this age, the instructor should be able to handle the class and encouage kids (if the class is not too large -- how big is it? Did your son perhaps feel overwhelmed because there were lots of kids?).

As for deepening his dependency or making him more afraid by going out there this time -- no. He's only three. If he were five or six and still this reluctant, then I'd say you need to work with him on separating. But at three, some kids are very gung-ho about dashing away from mom right into a group of stranger-kids, while other kids still want to hang back, assess what's going on, and be led more than taking the lead themselves. It's just fine! He will not be clinging to you on that first day at school in three years' time if you give him confidence now, and showing him it's OK to go out there and participate was giving him confidence the way he needed it. Within a few classes he may well be showing off for you how eagerly he heads for the activities. If he's not, you might consider whether the class itself was right for him (too big, too noisy, expected too much, expected too little, instructor wasn't engaged well with the kids). But that issue would be with the class-- not him and not you either.

1 mom found this helpful
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J.L.

answers from San Diego on

It's good that you encouraged him, BUT since you went out there with him you validated his fear, by doing so. Let him do it on his own when he is ready, if you always step in, it will take a lot longer. J.

1 mom found this helpful
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C.W.

answers from Santa Barbara on

My daughter (who is now 17) took a "dance movement" class when she was three. The parents were allowed to watch the first class and then the last class twelve weeks later. The instructor felt the kids did better participating and being less distracted without the parents hovering by. It was so cute to see the last class how much they had developed.

1 mom found this helpful
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