Things I’m Loving in between the anxiety

It’s been a tough week seeing my Sophie suffering so much with anxiety at going to school. Tears before bed. Sobbing as I help her into her uniform and into the car. She’s only been two days this week. She does have a good day, when she’s there, but has great difficulty leaving the comfort and security of her home. She loves being at home. I just hope that this time next year we shall look back and see this as a distant memory. It’s certainly not easy for any of us.

♥ And this is what I see when she is at home, which is so easy to love. A happy elf jumping with glee, unpacking the Christmas decorations from under the stairs, decorating the tree.

We met with her lovely teacher on Tuesday and the chat helped Sophie a little. She gave a brave smile going to school on Wednesday morning. ♥ She got ready so quickly she even had time to play in the garden.

She came home happy, but by bedtime the anxiety returned and she went to sleep sobbing, whilst I stroked her head and held her hand.

She didn’t go to school on Thursday. ♥ She played with Alice, fed our cat some treats, read books, played the piano and made up a little song and swung on the rope ladder.

In the afternoon we headed off to school to pick up Charlotte and enjoy the ‘Carols on the Lawn’ at school. ♥ Sophie was so happy to see her friends. She ran up and down the grass so happily.

Today, Friday morning, whilst Dan got everything ready, I held her close and she cried and cried. She sobbed getting into the car, she ran upstairs a couple of times and was coaxed back down. Thank goodness we have the weekend to look forward to and only one week of school before the holidays.

I’m sure she’ll be all smiles eventually at school and, as she says to me, ‘I’m only sad till morning tea and then I’m okay.’ Well, I have my phone at hand just in case and in the meantime am trying to focus on the happy face that joined me in the garden to plant swan plants in our butterfly garden.

And Alice helps to keep my mind from thinking too much, especially now she’s into painting! We normally end up with a dip in the bath after a ‘session’ of painting!

♥ And at least Charlotte is happy. She is positively thriving. She has her dress rehearsal today for her dance show. She’ll be performing in three shows this weekend. A busy time, but she’s really excited about it. It was only a few years ago that I was worrying about Charlotte at school, but for different reasons. Now I am so relieved to see her really thriving and in her element.

Things will all come right. Dan admitted this morning he used to hide under his bed and eat soap to make himself sick so as not to go to school! Look at him now – an entrepreneur running his own software development business.

In the meantime, I shall bake cakes, put the kettle on and look forward to enjoying the festive spirit with my family flying over from England very soon! Right, best get off the laptop and make a coffee – whilst making play-dough snowmen with Alice 🙂

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