Not sure where I can ask this so I’m asking here!

I am a new pre-k teacher and I have a student who is WAY overly emotional and I’m not sure what to do. I think he’s 4! If not, he’s 3 almost 4.

He cries at little things that don’t matter. Ive tried being loving, explaining things, trying to have him brush it off, and taking him away from the situation but nothing seems to help. It happens all day every day and gets exhausting/frustrating.

Here are some examples of situations he has cried from recently:

He cried when he pulled out a paper towel from the paper towel dispenser and it ripped so he didn’t want to use that one. I wouldn’t let him get a new one because it would waste the paper towels. I let him know it’ll still dry his hands just as well. But he cried about it.

He’ll eat his lunch and I’ll give him 2nds and after he finishes his 2nds, he’ll want 3rds but I’ll let him know he can’t because there’s no more food to give and he’ll cry about it. It’ll still happen even after I tell him while giving his 2nds that there’s no more food after that.

He cried when I wouldn’t fill up a cup of water for him all the way. I told him I would give him more water if he drank all the water in the cup but he just kept crying and wouldn’t even drink any of the water.

I talked to his parents about it this week and they said they don’t know what to do 🙄 His brother is in a younger class and I guess is the same way.

I talked to the school director and we decided we would send him to a class that takes naps after lunch, so we did that hoping it would help. Maybe he just needs more sleep?! But even after a nap and him seeming refreshed after waking, he still had melt downs over little things that aren’t a big deal.

Any advice?!

Teacher Moms & Moms-To-Be