Criers???

What do you do when you have a crier? I teach first grade and I have a little girl who cries just about everyday. I had her sister last year so she already knew me before school started, but everyday after her sister drops her off, she cries hysterically for 10 min. (this is much better then the first week when it was ALL day long!) Then she will be ok until recess, and then she cries again, because she can't find her sister on the playground, then cries when her sister goes in. Today she cried in the morning then again at our morning meeting because I mentioned the words friends and family!! I have been in contact daily with the parents, and they told me she has been like this since birth, hates to leave them. (gee thanks!!) And they have no suggestions for me. I am at my wits end with the tears, I am tired of it, and so are the other kids. What can/should I do??

Re: Criers???

TOUGH LOVE!

I know it sounds really cruel but you have to just tell her that she needs to stop. Bribe her, if she stops she gets a sticker or to pick from the prize box. You also need to ignore it

I have one this year as well and i just tell him he needs to stop he is a big boy now (i also teach 1st grade). The stickers work too. I had one last year also and i had to ignore it and continute on - eventually she would stop

The more you BABY them the more they do it- its for attention. Its the same thing with the kids who scream when the parents drop them off and wont go into the classroom. You need to get them in the room and thats it... no babying!!

Re: Criers???

The problem is that I do ignore it, and its not getting any better!!! Today I told her that we all miss our families and you will see them soon, so go in the bathroom and dry your tears, she jsut cried harder, and said I DON"T WANT TO!!! So I walked away from her and she sobbed at her seat until lunch!! I am just afraid the other kids who are trying to be nice to her are going to get tired of it too, and not be friends with her.

Re: Criers???

In Pre-K I told the moms to give their child a picture of them or of the family to take w/ them to school. I also suggested bringing a favorite stuffed animal/doll from home to ease the transition. I told parents its always nice to have the child find a note in their lunchboxes from mom/dad.

good luck...

Re: Criers???

i teach k and use tough love - I tell them that they can come inside when they are done crying b/c it is a disruption to the class. they are too big and too smart to cry everyday. usually it takes 1 - 2 days then they realize no sympathy, not going to see their sibling till afterwards, so oh well...

Re: Criers???

I tell them (1st grade) that this is NOT Kindergarten, therefore, we do not crawl on the floor, tattle, pick nose or cry. There is absolutely none of that and if they do, I'll send them back to K for the day I'm such a meanie but so far so good. I tell them it's ok to cry if they are hurt but if I see a crier, I ask them if their arm fell off or if they lost an eye. They usually laugh and realize that they are crying over nothing. It's hard to be like that, but that crier will consume all of your morning.

Re: Criers???

Re: Criers???

We have a crier, we are a k-2 class. He cried over everything..we just tell that we are big kids in here and if he needs to pout the he needs to go somewhere else in the room to do it....might be mean but it worked...He is pouting wayyy less now, thank god!

Re: Criers???

Honestly, this sounds just like the girl in my classroom. Every morning she walks in late crying, saying "Mommy will pick me up." I also teach first grade and ignore it. At first I tried being the nice, comforting, supportive teacher, it didn't work she cried harder.

Tough love and Ignore that behavior and focus on the positive ones.

Re: Criers???

Posted by happytobreathe

Honestly, this sounds just like the girl in my classroom. Every morning she walks in late crying, saying "Mommy will pick me up." I also teach first grade and ignore it. At first I tried being the nice, comforting, supportive teacher, it didn't work she cried harder.

Tough love and Ignore that behavior and focus on the positive ones.