Today is day 1 of daycare and I could not sleep all night

[Anonymous]

I could not sleep all night because today is day 1 of my 2 year old going to daycare. He whines and cries on and off yesterday night and I wonder if he understands that he is going to daycare today. He does not have many words. Well, he is going to there full day today, and I am heading back to office to work today. Finger crossed but I expect I will experience at least a few weeks of him tantrum, crying and nightmares to get him transitioned. He is not my first kid, but I really feel bad for him because I could not have prepared him better not scared of strangers & new environment due to pandemic. I had success preparing my older kid to daycare with many play dates and kid classes in the past, and only a few minutes of tears at day 1 drop off and he wanted to stay at daycare, and that was all.

[Anonymous]

It’s going to be OK, OP. There might be a few tough moments. But all will be well. In just a week or two, you’ll have a new routine. There will be socializing and learning and songs. It will be OK.

[Anonymous]

He will be fine. It will be harder on you than him. You will see and remember the years at drop off all day and he will have forgotten them in five minutes when he gets sucked into the excitement of all the new things he will do today. Kids are so adaptable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He will be fine. It will be harder on you than him. You will see and remember the years at drop off all day and he will have forgotten them in five minutes when he gets sucked into the excitement of all the new things he will do today. Kids are so adaptable.

*tears

[Anonymous]

OP, BTDT. DS started daycare around the same age, also with limited vocab thanks to spending the most part of his 2 years in a country that did not speak English. Also, because we lived in that country, DS was with me 24/7 and didn't have a lot of exposure to strangers and other kids.

Let me tell you, parents used to ask us what the secret was to get DS to go to daycare so happily. There was no crying, no clinging to me, nothing. He walked in there, hugged me, and then ran to the sandbox and started playing with another kid.

Just to tell you OP, it may not be as bad as you think it is! Kids def. pick up on our emotions too, so try to be happy and upbeat and not anxious and sad

[Anonymous]

Hang in there Momma!

[Anonymous]

How did it go, OP? Hugs!

[Anonymous]

This is OP. Thanks for all hugs and support. My little one is doing better than I thought to be. He cries mainly at drop off at daycare door, and also at pick up the second he sees me. Teachers say that he is holding onto his blankie the whole time , but he is doing well, napping for 1 hour (need teacher to pat his back to fall asleep), eating most food, interacting well with other kids, sitting at circle time, playing at playground, and the most important thing, he only cries a little bit in between since day 1. Teachers keep sending me pictures, well, I don't see smiles, but I see him playing and not crying.

Only thing is that he has been having nightmares these few days at night, so crying and whining during the sleep. He is still looking forward to put on shoes, backpack, lunchbag to go to school everyday, so overall I say it is a good experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is OP. Thanks for all hugs and support. My little one is doing better than I thought to be. He cries mainly at drop off at daycare door, and also at pick up the second he sees me. Teachers say that he is holding onto his blankie the whole time , but he is doing well, napping for 1 hour (need teacher to pat his back to fall asleep), eating most food, interacting well with other kids, sitting at circle time, playing at playground, and the most important thing, he only cries a little bit in between since day 1. Teachers keep sending me pictures, well, I don't see smiles, but I see him playing and not crying.

Only thing is that he has been having nightmares these few days at night, so crying and whining during the sleep. He is still looking forward to put on shoes, backpack, lunchbag to go to school everyday, so overall I say it is a good experience.

And his bowel movement habit has changed, become constipated. He used to go daily, but he has no bowel movement for 2-3 days already I think it could be because he is nervous, does not nap much (he used to nap 2-3 hours at home in the afternoon), does not eat much etc. I think I need to do something regarding his bowel movement to make him poop, any tips?