This time of year means back to school but for me it was pre-school.
After spending six weeks in the company of his family and doing the things that he enjoyed, our son finally went back to pre-school this week. Monday wasn’t so bad. I dropped him off and although he held my hand and didn’t want to leave my side, I was able to say good bye without too much of an issue. With Monday being the first day back, it meant that there were a lot of new faces and so there was quite a few toddlers and parents crying and welling up.
Today however was a different story. With yesterday being the first day back, I thought the worst was over. My son just didn’t want to go to pre-school. He cried, wrapped his arms around my neck, tugged at my jeans and cried even more. It was awful. I hurried out of the building, got in the car and held my face in my hands. Quite an emotional day: not a nice feeling.
Phoning up an hour later to check that he had settled down okay, I was reassured that he was fine and playing with his friends like he does every day.

Quotes of the day:
“I not want to see my friends, they scare me.”
“And what about your teacher?”
“She scares me too”

Quote 2
“Please don’t go, pleeeeeese don’t go”
Was my son talking to me when I dropped him of at pre-school? No, he was talking to the telly when Scooby Doo finished!


This image is hidden for guests. Please login or register to see it.



http://www.thenurserytimes.co.uk

First time in J.K. this year and so far he cried every day.
BECAUSE HE WANTS TO STAY AT SCHOOL LONGER!

I give up. This kid is always looking at a half empty glass.

The first week for our 1 year old was great. He was fussy when kids were coming on or leaving, but was fine between. This week, he was inconsolable both days. It's really just day care that's offered while his brother has his couple hours of school time twice a week. I'm hoping that it's part of settling into a new schedule. Luckily, I feel worse for the teachers than for my son. He'll get used to it and will enjoy it, eventually. I'm sure the teachers don't get paid enough to listen to a little boy cry non-stop for two and a half hours.

Your post gave me flashback to my oldest son's first year at Kindergarten. We did everything we could to ease the transition -- we sent him to an pre-k program that was just across the street from the school. Still he struggled, I struggled, my wife struggled.

Interestingly, neither of my younger, kids had even one ounce of discomfort. Neither shed a tear. My middle child never spend a moment away from our block until the first day of school. Yet no problem. My youngest son didn't bat an eye on the first day of school.

I think one big difference was US -- the parents. We had less anxiety and therefore the kids had less. Differences in temperament certainly played a role. But I think that because we knew how the whole thing worked, it was easier for the kids to be confident.

I guess my bottom line: it gets easier.

We are now in week two. Monday he cried and really didn't want to be left. Tuesday he helped me unpack his bag, put everything away and he went and joined his friends then today, just as I thought I was making progress I got "I don't want to go to school, my friends scare me". He cried all the way to school, got to the door then ran off to join his "scarey friends".

It does get easier, however, so far for us, it hasn't gotten all that consistent. (TheBoy is 3.5)

The last 6 months were fairly easy, as he had been in one room for 6 months before that, and we'd only have an occasional bad drop off... but now since we've transferred to a new room, the daily drop offs are 50/50. Today, I got a hug and a kiss, and virtually pushed out of the room... yesterday, as fussy as day one...

BUT, I do know from talking to his teachers that less than 2 minutes after I leave, he's just fine. He'll get used to the new room and the bad mornings will drop off again. And then he'll be older and in more control of his emotions when we transfer to the next room...

So yea, it gets easier. Ain't no thang. Scary friends get less scary. (Unless they're girls, they're always scary.)

It's been our experience that it was easier the second time around. With our first, when he transitioned into 2 morning a week parent's morning out at the age of 2.5, the shift was tough. Tears,the works.

With our second, now transitioning into the same program at the same age, she's been watching her big brother use the car pool lane for a long time at his elementary school and she's just discovered she can manipulate the buckles on her car seat herself (YIKES! A separate post).

So for her now, PMO = carpool lane and getting to be a big kid like her brother. She's begging to unbuckle and get out the van door in the mornings.