Anonymous wrote:Three weeks is long enough to know this is not the right fit.

I would find him another place.

I disagree - six weeks.

The LAST thing the poor guy needs is another transition right now.

I gave it 1 week. At the time my 2.5 year old child had been going to daycares and I know he doesn’t have any issues with adjustment and changing environment. After I put him in a larger center he started crying constantly in the mornings. He was fine at pick up, but on the way home kept telling me he didn’t like it. His pictures always showed him looking sad. He refused to eat and I knew he could eat everything from previous daycares he went to.

After a week I decided to quit and sent him to a new home daycare (a different one from the one we left). It was night and day. He stopped crying and never had another issue. 7 months later I pulled him out of the daycare and sent him to a regular preschool that started in the fall. Not a single issue there either. I am convinced that the daycare he didn’t like wasn’t a good fit for him and he knew it. I don’t think there was anything inherently bad about it, it just wasn’t a place he felt comfortable at.

Anonymous wrote:I would give it 2 months

I would do this. I also would encourage staff to make sure DC eats enough.

Anonymous wrote:When you arrive for pick up are you able to see them engaged in play?

If it is just a minute or two of tears at drop off, then I would continue to keep the drop off happy & snappy.

Yes, by himself but yes, he is usually in a great mood at pick up, in the evening, and on the weekends. But still says “no school” most mornings so it’s hard.

Anonymous wrote:PP. It took longer than 3 weeks for my kid to adjust from one classroom to another at the daycare he went to for 5 years.

Mom - maybe can you give the daycare some little presents to give him during the day to cheer him up? Like a shiny sticker from mommy? Or just send a cuter surprise snack? Maybe he needs more to look forward to.

This is a great idea, thank you.

Yeah I would give it more time. Also, try to go in relaxed—these little ones pick up on our anxiety. So if you’re stressed that he’s crying, he’s probably feeling your vibes.

When you arrive for pick up are you able to see them engaged in play?

If it is just a minute or two of tears at drop off, then I would continue to keep the drop off happy & snappy.

My kid cried every day at drop off for 3 years. She was fine after I left. I would separate the crying from whether you think the social group is big enough.

PP. It took longer than 3 weeks for my kid to adjust from one classroom to another at the daycare he went to for 5 years.

Mom - maybe can you give the daycare some little presents to give him during the day to cheer him up? Like a shiny sticker from mommy? Or just send a cuter surprise snack? Maybe he needs more to look forward to.

I would give it 2 months

He sounds stressed by change. He also moved houses.

I don't think 3 weeks is enough to know.

Three weeks is long enough to know this is not the right fit.

I would find him another place.

Anonymous wrote:What’s the daycare’s take? Does he cheer up quickly after you leave or seem unhappy during the day? What’s your gut feeling about the care?

Daycare says he stops crying as soon as we leave and cheers up. He looks content in photos they send but he’s not eating much. I think the staff seem very warm and caring and the facilities are lovely, but I’m concerned there’s just not enough other kids and he’s not being stimulated (3 other kids in his class, and he’s the oldest by around 6 months).

What’s the daycare’s take? Does he cheer up quickly after you leave or seem unhappy during the day? What’s your gut feeling about the care?

My two year old has been in daycare since the age of three months and LOVED his old daycare. He was so happy to go every day. Unfortunately we moved very far away and had to enroll him somewhere new and suddenly he’s saying “no school” every morning. It’s so sad to see. How long do I give it to decide it’s just a tough transition vs this daycare is actually a bad fit? Everything about the daycare seems nice, but it has. very small number of kids and maybe he’s missing having more kids to socialize with. It’s been 3 weeks.