Hello all,
My almost-one-year-old daughter started in a new classroom at daycare 3 days ago. So far she has spent most of each day crying, and barely sleeping, beginning a few minutes after we get to her classroom. She knows the teachers and has spent time in the classroom previously (as a warm-up to help with the transition) and did just fine then. Usually kids cry for a little while, then 5-10 minutes after the parent leaves they're fine. Not this time; it lasts most of the day : (
She has some teeth coming in but does not seem to have any illness. The teachers are great and they love her. She uses her thumb (so no pacifier) and has a doll and blanket from home in her crib there to remind her of home. At this point I need to be working so I can't stay home with her as much as we both would like. Any advice to give her more comfort at daycare and to let her know it will be ok? Do we just need to wait this out? Thanks for any advice or suggestions you may be able to provide.
does she have a small photo album with some photos of you and other family that she can take out when she feels sad? that use to help some of the toddlers i had when i taught- good luck
Maybe her teeth are really bothering her. With our youngest I had to put him in a sling or my carrier almost all day when he was teething or he would just cry cry cry. Give it some time and see if she is better after her teeth come in.
hi
unfortunately it could take a couple of weeks for your daughter to become comfortable with her new teachers taking care of her. She will have to build a relationship with these "near strangers" and learn to trust them. This is also happening at a time when she is getting separation anxiety and developing a normal fear of new people. Ask if she can spend a part of each morning in her old classroom and then move to the new one after maybe an hour? At least that way she won't associate you leaving her in the new room but rather her old teacher bringing her to the new room. It may work.
man i know how hard this must be on you, but it's one of thos things your going to have to wait out. it's only been three days, and her crying is due to the fact that she is not used to being without mom and dad. this will pass, i know, and please don't feel bad its something all moms go through. i think the blanket is good, but have u ever considered giving her something that smells like u? like a tee shirt that has your scent? that actully might help her, its the missing u part thats the hardest, so maybe if she
has something of yours that smelled familiar to her she would not cry as much. hope i helped a little
Try giving her a family picture to keep with her, or keep in her cubby and look at it whenever she needs to? 1 may be a little young for this, I don't know. When our oldest son started Kindergarten he had a hard time with the separation. We gave him a family picture to hold while on the bus, or to keep in his lunch box, whatever. That helped him a lot! He "loved" that picture so much that it was all wrinkly before long. It really did help a lot. Try that.
I'm sorry to break this to you but, as nice as any of these teachers are, they cannot devote all their time to your child. They have other children to consider, so therefore, you child is pretty much left to herself crying, and the teachers are hoping she would tire herself out and stop. And in your child's case unfortunately, hasn't. You can reassure your child you will be returning to pick her up every day and make sure she is looking at your while you are saying this to her. It is tough, but she will adjust. I'm sorry you have to go through this.
