3 1/2 Yr Old Wants to Stay Home

Updated on June 25, 2009
V.M. asks from Shawnee, KS
5 answers

I started sending my son to a Parent's Day Out on June 4th for 1x day week from 9:30-2:30pm...the first day he cried off and on, but got through the day ok. The next week the teacher said he did better and hardly cried. Since sending him to PDO he doesn't want to leave the house, he cries and says.."not go today" and I know he is talking about not going to the PDO. He doesn't want to leave the house to go anywhere, I think he is afraid I will take him to the PDO! We went on vacation last week, so he missed last PDO, but he cried wanting to go home. My mom watched him for me on Saturday and he cried almost the whole time saying he wanted to go home and he's never done that! This nervous, scared, anxious, behavior all started soon after PDO started. My husband wants me to stop sending him to PDO and wait until FALL to start pre-school and I'm thinking that might be best too. Just wondering if anyone has had a child react this way after starting a childcare program. He might be fine at the PDO but at home his behavior has totally changed. I don't want him to stress out about this, after all I put him in the PDO for his benefit!
any advice or similar experience is appreciated. Thanks!

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So What Happened?

My husband and I decided to discontinue sending our son to the PDO. We felt like it was just not worth all the anxiety he was going through. I think it was just too long of a day for him and we will wait until this Fall to start pre-school. I talked to the PDO director just yesterday after 3 weeks of not sending him to PDO. I thought it a little strange that no one called me to find out where my son had been or if he was coming back....she just said the teachers had asked about him. They are all very nice there, but I'm undecided if he will go to preschool there or if I should find another one. Thanks for the comments I received, it really did help!!

More Answers

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K.M.

answers from Kansas City on

Maybe he doesn't like his teacher. It sounds like to me that maybe something happen there that upset him and he doesn't trust them. However, you say he's doing better at PDO, it maybe because he has to do better there or he will get the same results from the teacher that upsets him. Maybe the teacher yelled at him or another child. I would listen to your son & his actions. They don't yet have the ablity to explain what is going on, but you could ask him detail questions like "does anyone ever get in trouble there, what happens when they do." Or something to get him talking about his day there. I really do try to listen to my children bc I have made mistakes of listening to the daycare provider and not my child, and my childs behavior didn't match up to what they were telling me. What was going on was she was screaming until she went to sleep and she wouldn't eat there at all(which for an ifant that is a trust issue). They weren't picking her up bc she was screaming; they wanted to teach her a lesson. They didn't even know she could walk! The only way I found about it was that her uncle's children were attending there too & he saw her. The daycare provider didn't know we were related. I felt so bad, I was a new mother back then and everyone told me that as soon as you leave then she will be fine. She wasn't. I thought she was really tired bc she had been playing all day with the other kids, it was bc she had been crying the whole time. To this day I feel bad about that so when I put my 2nd child in daycare, after she got bit the 3rd time by the same child I was done. She didn't want to go either. I do agree that he does need some play time with the other children and they do try to teach them things like standing inline and those things are important. I would find another PDO and maybe you have to stay there for the whole time until he feels safe and really talk it up about how much fun it is. With my 2nd child at the next daycare she went to we started a routine, a kiss, a hug and bye-bye. I worked out well most times.

1 mom found this helpful

S.L.

answers from Kansas City on

I agree that it's very hard when they go such a short time. There are so many things at work. They get so used to being with mom. That's all they want. There could be another child that has scared or been mean towards your son. Maybe the day is too long for him. Maybe he doesn't like the food. There could be too many kids or something about the place smells funny to him. I could go on all day! I suggest you try and find another place for him. Some places just work better for some kids.

Suzi

1 mom found this helpful
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K.B.

answers from Kansas City on

That's a pretty big reaction to the PDO. It may not be anything wrong with the place but there is something your son is just handling very well.

Personally I would find another place that is better suited for you child. Maybe a home daycare that still has some structure,more flexible and more home like. There are some great home daycares that mimic a preschool enviroment but still have the comfort of home to them. It may be more inviting for your son and a nice transition to regular Preschool.

1 mom found this helpful
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K.B.

answers from Kansas City on

I think it is hard when it is only one day a week. I have heard of a few kids like that. Maybe try a fun calendar so he can see what day it is and mark which day is PDO. Then he will know what to expect. Not that he will like it any better. He will probably do better with preschool.

1 mom found this helpful
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E.S.

answers from Kansas City on

well I would think that keeping him in the program would be best. after all once he starts preschool he will be gone more than one day a week and you don't want to give in to his demands about staying home from preschool once that starts. He has to get used to being away from you. But the behavior can be changed if it is unacceptable acting out type just simply correct it and enforcing your own house rules.

1 mom found this helpful
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