Question
I dropped my son off at soccer camp today and he lost his mind. He woke up this AM, he got dressed (by himself), and I had to put sunscreen on him, which he usually hates. That made him sad he said, and then when we got out of the cab he said he didn't want to stay. By the time we walked from cab to drop off he was a hot mess- crying hysterically, saying he had told me he didn't want to go to camp, he was tired. This is his second week at camp/ last week he said he was tired, but never cried like today. He said he wanted his dad to pick him up right away. What is going on??
Answer
He may have hit a "hard time" with one of the skills he is being taught in soccer camp. He may have also lost a game at soccer time. Little ones his age are concrete-black/white thinkers, and he may have put all those experiences in a "bad bucket" of experiencing soccer camp. This morning, he may have had all those feelings bottled up and the suntan lotion just took him over the edge. Ask the coaches if he is having difficulty with a skill or if his team is losing games. If so it is time to help your little guy know how to win/lose and how to work at a skill we have yet to master. Also check in on his sleep schedule. Someone his age needs 9-12 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period. If this is not happening, recalculate. Be specific with your questions and see what he tells you.