Transition Issues

Luke transitions poorly. When we go to a new class or a new situation, or even a familiar situation but not exactly the same, Luke has issues. He screams, he runs, he wants to leave. He hits, he doesn't want to play. I don't like that he has these issues, I don't like that when we go to a playgroup with kids he knows and likes at a house he's been to numerous times before that I have to hold him and bring him to a quiet corner until he feels comfortable and safe. Who would like issues like that? Don't we all want our children to go forth boldly and happily?

But Luke has issues.

I try to talk him through it, tell him what he will do and who he will play with. Who's house we're going to, or in the case of PDO now, that Mommy will come back after the movie. Because we walk through the whole day step by step.

And it's been bugging me, these transition issues, they don't seem to be going away very quickly, or lessening. And somedays are much worse than others. Somedays he just wants to stay home.

He hasn't been diagnosed with any of the many sensory issues that are being diagnosed, he communicates well and hits all his developmental milestones, but new and different places are hard for him. They always have been. That's the type of kid he is.

I thought about this last night as I lay awake preparing for Courtney's surgery today. As I worried about whether they had all the paperwork and if she would be okay and what time we had to leave in the morning and waking up to feed her in the middle of the night so she wouldn't be too hungry in to morning.

As I lay awake. All night. Worrying.

Because I didn't have control of the situation. Just like Luke doesn't have control of play groups or school or other kids.

So I have some transition issues, too. And he'll get better with age, I guess, or be laying awake just like me.