Helen from preschool just called. The cabinet maker set off the fire alarm system again. Jack freaked, of course, and refused to go back in once evacuated. Helen said it wasn't a total mind-blowing meltdown of terror like last time, though. She took him up to the church part of the building to see what the man was doing and how he set off the alarm. Knowing my boy, that will go a long way towards helping him get past this incident. He always feels better when he knows what is going on and has a sense of control over a situation. Apple didn't fall far from this tree...
When Helen left him, he was washing his hands for snack. I'm sure I'll get an earful when I pick him up in an hour. Maybe telling the story over lunch at Olive Garden will help soothe the upset. Please cross your fingers that this isn't a total setback. He has worked so hard to get past this particular fear. Honestly, I don't blame him for how he feels. I hate loud, sudden noises myself and there is no worse feeling than wondering and waiting for something dreadful to happen, knowing it could occur at any moment. My poor boy, why did he have to inherit my messed up psyche? He'd be so much better off being like Tom rather than like me.
Once again, life presents another opportunity to say "Bite Me" to anyone subscribing to the "Lightening Doesn't Strike Twice" credo. Awesome.
5 comments:
Aw, I'm sorry. Hopefully Helen did him good by showing him what happened and he'll be able to get over it quickly. (((HUGS))) to you & to Jack!
poor buddy. I hope he was ok when you picked him up!
oh, poor buddy. hugging you both...
but what's with the cabinet maker setting off the alarm all the time?! i would think helen would have more than one nervous-crying kid on her hands.
He's doing okay. He kept saying, "Pretend you don't know what happened so I can tell you about my emergency this morning, Mom!" So he's enjoying the retelling and perhaps working through the fear in doing so.
Tori, the letter sent home said that the glue fumes set off the alarm. This makes me think one of two things are true here -- 1.) the system is too sensitive and needs to be adjusted, or 2.) that is some wicked ass glue and the kids shouldn't be anywhere near it or its fumes!
You would think that The Girl would be up in arms (she wasn't there for the first incident) but when I asked her about it she shrugged and said it didn't happen. Basically, gave me a "Mom, you trippin'!" look. Whatever, I'm thrilled it had no impact on her just when she has gotten in the school groove.
When I picked Jack up, his teacher said that she watched Grey's Anatomy last week and seeing the little boy who had to view the OR before consenting to surgery, she thought, "My God, that's Jack Tobin!" She's right -- he has to know what is going on before he is on board with any given situation. No blind faith with my boy. I agreed with her assessment and I'm glad that she "gets" him.
I'm so sorry...I am glad that she showed him what set it off. I hope that made the difference for him, and that this won't be a big setback...
Post a Comment