David has been saying all week-end that he did not want to go to school today. This is despite a good visit on Friday that he wanted us to tell everyone about. This morning stretched my parenting skills. How to get a screaming, crying underfed child out the door?

I offered to read The Batmobile book at school with him.
I offered to tell a George story.
I agreed that he did not want to go to school.
I offered to open his bar.
I explained that I was going to the doctor.
I sent Daddy and Rose off before us.
I offered to snuggle.

None of the usual strategies were working. So, then we got into new territory.

I carried all his things to the car, carried him to the porch, and locked us out of the house.
Somehow he calmed himself down enough to eat a bar and sit on my lap, but we still weren't moving. So, I went down to the car and started driving away. Well, not really, but I moved the car into the driveway. I think this shocked him enough that he let me carry him down to the car. He started slipping out of the car seat. I said if he didn't sit in that seat and get buckled I was just going to start driving. I think this shocked him enough that he sat tight. Then we had a very pleasant George story on the way to school. I again carried all his things into the school and signed him in as he clung to the lock on the door, I came back and gave him a three count to get out of the car, and he came on two. Frankly, I think by this point he was looking for a face saving way of getting it all going. We sat on the couch and he refused to say hi to his teacher, refused to let me read a book, but did start to peek at all the cool projects going on around him. I gave it five minutes and then carried him crying and clinging out the front door (his request), said goodbye, and transferred him to his teacher. I left him waving from the goodbye bench. This was forty-five minutes of heart pounding stress and misery for 2.5 hours of school.

He had a great day. When I showed up, he wanted to show me his art project and tell me all about the bunny songs they sang. When I asked if he played with the tornadoes, he said he was going to do that his next school day. He gave his teacher a hug and cheerfully said goodbye to several of his classmates.

The rest of the day has been great. Lots of cheerful play. Lots of happy talk. The kids, who fought all week-end, have been speaking to each other in happy voices. I cannot tell you what a relief it is.

I'm assuming we are over the big fear of the unknown. I don't expect tomorrow to be super smooth, but it's going to be better.