nursery woes | ExpatWoman.com
 

nursery woes

12
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 13 April 2011 - 11:59

DS (2 years) started nursery three days back. first two days i brought him back early...yesterday he cried for about hafl an hour but stayed on happily. today he refused to sit in the car seat to even head there. i think it was also because daddy was at home studying. anyway, i put him in his naughty spot till he stopped crying and asked again if he wanted to go and he said yes didnt sit in the car seat again so we're back home.
this is all just normal but i just feel bad and a tad bit cruel. so he wants the TV on and i've told him when he goes to school tomorrow we can come home and switch on the TV and today no TV since he didn't go. it's just his third day etc etc i know he'll settle down in a few days, week, month whatever....but i just feel bad that im being tough with him. :( he's so small and he's standing next to me looking at me with those puppy dog eyes.

12
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 13 April 2011 - 18:29
@puffinlunde and terf.....so true. i guess i was just hassled and really shouldnt have done that. :( i kinda knew i shouldnt do it but i still did. poor baby. wat a horrid mom ive been today. and nadia, yes mickey mouse goes to nursery with him! but i guess yeah it all just takes time. a friend's daughter took a month...it's not like i didn't expect this but i just needed to let it out so therefore i wrote. :)
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 13 April 2011 - 17:39
maybe he is just too young to start nursery! he is only two and wants to be with mommy:))
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 13 April 2011 - 15:58
It can take a while for any little one to settlle into nursery. It is perfectrly normal. Talk about nursery at home on and off in a positive way. Once they learn that you always come back to them it gets easier. It may be that they will cry for months when you leave them. But I bet you it will be for your benefit only. I too have settled my ds into nursery twice and I promise you I used to stand outside and listen and usually within a few mins (if that long) he will stop crying and just get into it. One big tip I have is not to hang around once you arrive. Say your goodbyes, leave and don't look back (but feel free to listen outrside!). I know it is hard, I feel sick just thinking about how hard I found it and I reckon my ds probably picked up on it. Just be patient, all kiddies are different but will get a lot out of it in the end!!! All the best
69
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 13 April 2011 - 15:37
We've been through the 'new nursery phase' twice - first when my son started in Qatar and this week after we moved to Dubai. Some of the things we did to ease thru the situation have been: - Visited the nursery a couple of times before joining to let him see his classroom, his chair etc. - Talk about the morning scenario before we go to bed - you can also adapt a story book to his situation....we used to read one called 'Off to Kindergarten'. Tell your little one in detail about what you will do in the morning from waking up, getting dressed, putting on shoes, having breakfast, grabbing water bottle and lunch bag and the trip to school. It helps when what you say is re-inforced in the same manner the next morning. - Allow him to take his favourite toy to school and make a big deal about Barney/Mickey going to nursery with your child. Mention that we'll have to leave him in the car so he doesn't get lost but he will be back to pick up your little one. - Create a relationship with your child's teacher and tell him that Ms. X is waiting for him and all kinds of fun stuff ready and waiting for him or that all the kids are waiting for your son to join them for outdoor play. Hope it works out for you guys - it took us almost a week the first time around (he was 18mnths then) but this time he bid me goodbye happily on the first day!
36
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 13 April 2011 - 14:27
So agree with Puffinlunde. I wouldn't put him on the naughty step for not wanting to go to a place that remains strange and different to him. It takes a while for children to settle in and punishing him for expressing his emotions may make it harder for you in the long term.
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 13 April 2011 - 12:43
I think that this is all a part of the settling in process - it can take kids a while to settle in 3 days is not long at all - in some countries there is a settling period where the parents attend to of 1-2 weeks However i put him in his naughty spot till he stopped crying and asked again if he wanted to go and he said yes didnt sit in the car seat again so we're back home. I would be wary about turning a natural reaction of a 2 year old into a "naughty" incident - being nervous about a new nursery is normal behaviour - you don't really want to threaten and punish him for crying and not wanting to go otherwise you may inadvertantly send a message that nursery is a bad place Best to be very matter of fact and remind him about all the fun things he can do there - or perhaps reward him for everytime he sits in the car seat with a sticker chart or something
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EW GURU
Latest post on 13 April 2011 - 12:30
This all sounds very familiar. I had the same problem, now my DD doesn't want to get in the car seat when i pick her up as she has far too much fun at nursery with her friends :) It takes time but so worth it in the end.
12
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 13 April 2011 - 12:14
no they've been wonderful...he gets individual attention etc. it was just the getting there that was the issue. i think tomorrow ill just take a cab if he refuses the car seat.
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 13 April 2011 - 12:02
are the nursery not helping him settle in with special settling in sessions? The one DD goes to (and DS will too in Sept) spends as much time as needed settling in the children and really looks to them all on an individual basis. It's one of those things that needs to happen really. If you've chosen to start, stick by your guns. I know it's hard, but some things aren't negotiable, are they?
 
 

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