5 Year Old All of Sudden Crying at School

Hi M., many children have just one sense that is super sensitive. Instead of removing her or protecting her from the offending situation, I might suggest you teach her coping skills, as such situations will very often be outside your control throughout her entire childhood. If you haven't already, google SPD and I'll bet you'll come up with a Zillion ideas to coach her, to give her the skills she needs to work through those moments.

Another thing, is kindergarten, her age is a pretty common time for behavioral changes.

Personally, I have some sensory issues myself. I despise going to the movies, for example, it's TOO loud, TOO dark, feels like an attack to me, and the dark no window closed door feeling creates a feeling like I'm trapped. So, I just wait til I can buy it on cable, tehehe. I also cannot stand a loud TV, a very small well lit bathroom, etc. On the other hand, I REALLY enjoy rock concerts, play my ipod really loud in the kitchen while I'm cooking...

I'd have to say all three of my kids after settling in at 4 in preschool, had a little phase in kindergarten, but that's all it was, a phase, a time of adjustment.

As far as the bus is concerned, my kids have never ridden a school bus. I drop them off and pick them up every day. It's not that I have some strong aversion to school busses, or want to shelter my kids from it, but I ENJOY bringing them to school, especially picking them up. For the taxi years where every night it seemed I have three different kids in three different counties at three different must see sporting events, the car ride home from school became our dinner table. I think if I'd had to go to work or some other reason why I COULDN'T drop off and pick up everyday, they'd've been just fine. If they'd had school bus issues, I would shown them hope to cope with it rather than yanking them off the bus.

Anyway, if you see a NUMBER of sensory/behavioral issues, discuss it with her ped, perhaps it's time for an eval by a developmental ped.

Good Luck!

:)

Perhaps the chaos has triggered some insecurity. And why not? She's only five, and kids - undoubtedly bigger kids - are being mean to one another on the bus? Even if she's just observing it, it can be scary. Where will it happen next? Is this the same kind of meanness that's on television? Is the whole world mean? It may seem like drama to you, but it may be a real worry to her.

Of course, I don't know your daughter! This is just a guess on my part, based on my own experience. I had (and still have) an imagination that worked overtime without my even realizing it. I'd have nightmares after watching public service announcements about protecting your home from fire hazards! Watching other kids disrespect one another in movies, much less the playground, was genuinely scary. After all (ahem) these years I have more confidence that I can handle what comes along, but it took quite a while and my mama did more than a little hair-pulling over me.

If your daughter happens to have this personality, you might want to do what you can to build up her self-confidence and her sense of security. If she has a good imagination and a creative mind, help her to use it in GOOD directions.

my youngest is 3 1/2 and has some sensory problems and loud noises happen to be one of them. We went to his older brother's basketball game the other day and he freaked out when the buzzer went off and the people clapping was too loud for him he covered his ears and cried. Has she always been sensitive to noise or is that new because the loud noises (the bus and large assembly) could really bother her.
Is she getting enough of sleep? She might be crying just because she is over tired. My oldest is miserable if he does not get enough sleep. When he started kindergarten he started going to bed at 7pm instead of 8 because he needed the 12hrs now that he was in school full time. Do they get a nap at school?
I think if you are home you should pick her up in the afternoon the afternoon bus ride kids seem to be more loud and rowdy because they have been cooped up in school all day.

Happened to my son in Kindergarten...actually right before he turned 6. Just started crying in school. Couldn't tell us why and finally all he said was he "misses" me. It got to the point where he wouldn't get on the bus and I would drive him and then have to drag him in. Very frustrating. It lasted about 2-3 weeks and then he was fine...never happened again.

One more thing...I would look into the fact kids are "mean" on the bus. If there is another child-preferably a girl b/c they are better at giving info-I would ask her what is going on on the bus. WHen this was happening with my son I asked the neighbor girl who was able and quite happy to give me the whole scoop. Don't be afraid to make a stink about this if indeed some hijinks are going on.