No Circle Time

So... Daniel has matriculated to the next level up at My Gym. He graduated from "Gymsters" to "Terrific Tots." The new class required that Daniel actually pay attention to the instructor and follow some rudimentary instructions. For instance, during the gymnastics period, he has to sit on a mat with the other kids and wait for the teacher to call him so that he can take his turn. He's having a difficult time with the whole affair, he doesn't like to go back to the circle in the middle of the room and sit attentively (during "Circle Time!") after he's been off playing on the equipment and doing his own thing.

I remind him before class that he needs to listen to the teacher (Ms. Abby, who is good, but nothing compared to the recently departed and much adored Mr. Dustin), and I haul him back to the circle for Circle Time.

We had class yesterday, and while we were getting ready, I asked him if he wanted to go to My Gym. He said "play at My Gym," which gave me pause. I suspected he was telling me he doesn't like the "class" part, sitting and listening, and he was warning me that all he really wanted to do was go and play, to heck with all that other stuff. He did listen a bit in class, but quickly lost interest, and when the instructor asked him to do activities, like swinging on a trapeze, he was adamantly against it ("I don't want to do that") and sat out.

Today, Christy, Daniel & I went back to My Gym for a free play (no structured class activities). He mentioned several times, "no circle time!" before and on the way to MyGym. Later on, he told his mom:

"No Circle Time."

"That's right, Daniel, no Circle Time today. We can just do what we want."

"No... listening."

"Uh..."