https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 12 Apr 2026 16:01:19 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/helping-3-year-old-adjust-to-new-school-in-new-language#post-2843336 Tue, 04 Sep 2018 08:40:51 +0000 Dahlia 2843336@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lamariniere: Thanks, that's helpful. We already talk about her day and what we'll do afterwards, and I will definitely try to hit the playground and see if we can find some of the kids from school. I'm not too worried about the language part, as she's already understanding a ton and starting to use it. </p> <p>@jennlin821: Thanks for the support! She does take her doll to school with her and that seems to help (until another kid tries to touch it!). Her teachers say she's playing and doing okay most of the day, so that makes me feel better. They don't have cubbies, and in this country drop off is at the door so parents don't go in. </p> <p>It's just so hard to see her so sad, and she hasn't really ever had issues at daycare before (even when she switched schools at 1.5). I guess I have to remember that this is a bigger transition and she's older and thus more aware of it all. Ugh, I hate it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/helping-3-year-old-adjust-to-new-school-in-new-language#post-2843332 Tue, 04 Sep 2018 08:30:09 +0000 jennlin821 2843332@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>She is crying all morning before hand, but is she also crying all day at school? I think that is the bigger question. </p> <p>I agree with Lamariniere that is sounds normal, its only been a week and its a big transition. </p> <p>Does she have some kind of lovey? Something that she knows is hers, and comes with her back and forth? That continuity and familiarity might help. Could you also give her a picture of her family to keep in her cubby? She can look at it when she misses you, hug her lovey, and then can go back to playing. </p> <p>Something else that might help is finding her drop-off groove. DD is only 20 mo, but she really strugged when she moved up a room. I kept trying to just put her right into the activity (usually a sensory table) but after months hers of bawling when I left I knew I needed to try something different. Then I figured out she needs time to warm up to the room and all the kids. So now we head into the room, she find her favorite daycare bear (we used to give her her lovey, but its moved on to the bear) and she goes and sits on the pillows in the corner of the room. The teachers tell me that within 5-10 minutes she's up and playing, she just likes to take it all in first. So maybe you need to figure out how to do something like that for your LO. </p> <p>These transitions are hard, but you will get through it - all of you! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/helping-3-year-old-adjust-to-new-school-in-new-language#post-2843331 Tue, 04 Sep 2018 08:10:20 +0000 lamariniere 2843331@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This sounds fairly normal to me. Both of my LOs cried a lot when they started daycare. Since you are in a new setting, it’s probably a bit stressful for her if she had always been at the same place before. It may take time, but it will get easier. Maybe it would help to talk about her day will go (play with friends, sing songs, do art, eat lunch, whatever) and what you will do when you pick her up so that she understands there’s an end. Is this a neighborhood daycare? We would often go to the playground after pickup and a few other daycare kids would be there. My son got more comfortable when he was able to play with some of the kids outside of daycare. </p> <p>As for the language part, that’s probably a separate issue. My son started daycare in a 3rd language when he was 2 (one he had never been exposed to before) but just kind of rolled with it. It took him about 6 months before he could speak it, but could understand everything really well. When we left that country when he was 6.5, he spoke like a native. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/helping-3-year-old-adjust-to-new-school-in-new-language#post-2843327 Tue, 04 Sep 2018 07:40:50 +0000 Dahlia 2843327@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Background: DD just turned 3, and we are currently abroad for the semester. She's been going to daycare at home since 6 months and loves it. Last week she started at a daycare here. It's all in Spanish - she speaks some Spanish, but is not fluent. </p> <p>She's having a REALLY tough time. She cries on and off there, and sobs all morning as we get ready saying she doesn't want to go. She says it's because she misses us and wants to stay with us. If asks, she admits she likes her teachers and the toys, etc. </p> <p>We've watched the Daniel Tiger about grownups coming back, we talk about her feelings and how its normal, explain to her why she has to go (we have to work!), her teachers are amazing and have been trying so hard to help, but it's been a week and she's still miserable. Does anyone have any ideas on how to help her? DH and I were both in tears with her this morning because she was so upset. Thank you! </p>