"But mommy I don't know how to sing"

As you can see from the post below we skipped Thursday's pre-school because of attitude issues.  Then Friday Charlotte threw up before breakfast so I worked from home and helped take care of her.  Today was her first day back to school and we were running late - again!  Charlotte seems excited to get back to school after several days off and she picks out her prettiest new birthday rainbow dress to wear.

The excuses started coming as we neared the school -
"But mommy I don't know how to sing"
"I don't want to sing"
"I don't like to sing"
Today being "Songs with Maria" day.

We walk into the school and find her classroom abandoned, park her lunch and look for her class who is lined up against the wall, each waiting their turn to use the bathroom.  Charlotte clings to me as I walk towards the class, suddenly not wanting to be at school.  I struggle to get her to release me and she clings harder.  I'm running later and later and wonder if I should just give up and take her with me, have her dad pick her up.  A teacher comes over and tries to entice her with stickers.  Charlotte turns to me and asks for make up - exasperated I say NO, you don't need make up.  She says she wants to show her friends her make up.  Finally, after 10 minutes, Charlotte walks away with the teacher and talks about how she doesn't want to sing today.

I leave and while driving to work realize that even at the age of 4 a child needs something to talk about upon walking into a crowd of ones peers.  By arriving late, I push her into a full classroom of her peers and she's intimidated.  She wants a subject matter to have up her sleeve, you know, the things you work out in your head before attending a party - if I see so and so I'll talk about this and that.  It's probably why she loves it when I paint her nails because she has something to show people and talk about. 

I'm guilty of being an impatient mama.  Tomorrow morning I'll focus on giving her "talking points", stuff to talk about and I'll be early so she's not the last to enter a crowded room.