Hellobee Boards

@californiadreams: Aw, hugs! I'm sorry you're having some rough drop-offs. He's at a new daycare now, right? Did he have similar good and bad days at the previous one?

S is really good at daycare. She has a few off mornings when a sub is there first thing, or if none of her friends are there yet (DH said there were just some older boys there yesterday in her room when she got dropped off, and she was a little unsure). We don't have many crying days anymore, but she's been at the same centre the whole time and knows the teachers and setup really well.

It's easy for me to say to keep the goodbyes short - I know it's hard to walk away when they're upset.

Like you, we have clingy phases and non-clingy phases and the clingy days break my heart! The daycare teachers are really good at distracting her though and I find it's better to leave quickly.

Terrible! I'm home from work this summer and since he's out of the routine, he screams and cries bloody murder each day at drop-off. His teachers do say that he calms down quickly after I leave, and then goes on to have a great day.

This week, I printed him a little book called, "Today is a school day!" that walks through each step of his morning routine and ends with him at school with his friends. He really loved reading the book over and over, and seeing pictures of himself and his friends. But even with the book, he started to feel sad on the car ride to school yesterday. "Mama, I think I feel like crying." And then he went into total meltdown mode when we got there. I don't think he can help it right now. So, I don't know what else to do other than hope it passes with time!

I am going through this now, too! You're not alone! It really is hard on the parent! I'm only on the first week over here, so I'm just thinking how much longer, but from what others have posted, I would imagine it's just going to phase in and out depending on circumstances of the day. It's so so hard to leave them, but I try to just think of how great it is for her to be doing all these fun activities I would probably never do and to be social with other kids and attach to other caregivers. I don't want to be her whole world, and I was home with her for almost two years, so for us, it has been pretty intense. It helps to read other responses, so keep posting everyone.

Does your LO cry at pick up? Mine always cries when I pick her up. I guess it's just a release of emotion? I can come in and stealthily watch her and she is fine and doing whatever normal activities, but when she sees me again, the tears come! I like to stay and hear about her day, but she is very emotional at that time too, sometimes more than in the morning even.

I have never had staying longer help...I really think just leaving is best for us. She knows what is going to happen as soon as we pull in the parking lot. She now is making me carry her in, but she used to walk in and just hold my hand, but then at her classroom, she will climb up me. Will your LO walk in? Will one of the teachers take your LO in a handoff? Today she went right to one of the teachers to hold her, even though she cried, I didn't have to peel her off me so much.

She has her blanket and that helps. Does your LO take some attachment item? I don't like to take it out at drop off, but maybe that would help.

Is LO eating and napping? Everyday has been different but it's nice when there is success there.

On the upside, I am really valuing the time I gave with her in the morning and after work I feel like I play with her more focused, if that makes sense. When at home with her for all this time, the day's seemed really long, like wow, only 9am and I was sometimes bored and boring, and now it never feels that way. I value the time more, so it's quality, not quantity.

I hope it gets better for us! Take care of yourself and be gentle to yourself.