Heartbroken (prob overreacting)

lewispm

I dropped K off at daycare Monday and his normal teacher wasn't there and he was a little off-put at first, but got over it quickly. Today, she was still not there and he went ballistic! hanging onto me like a little spider monkey, crying his eyes out, and just pitching an absolute pitiful fit (the worst he's ever pitched, even on his first day!) I asked the new teachers where Ms. Francis (his usual teacher) was and they were all like "ohhh....you don't know yet??" and then the director came and we went in the hall and she informed me that Ms. Francis, due to health issues, had to switch from 5 days a week to only Tues and Thurs, so since K goes M,W,F, he no longer has her as a teacher! I am absolutely devastated!

I'm a little embarrassed because, in the midst of K's tantrum and finding out the news, I started crying! The director was hugging me and telling me she would check in on him all day and send me updates and how he was getting extremely attached to Ms. Francis so this is probably better (which is true) in the long run, but I just couldn't help it and just cried and cried. I think my sadness is not really even coming from the fact that K will have to adjust to new teachers, but more because I know how much Ms. Francis loved and cherished him and how much his face lit up when he saw her each morning and that is what helped me make it through the days with him there. What if his new teachers don't love him as much? Ahhh, I'm a mess.

Since it's what y'all J12 ladies are so good at here, help me feel better about this! I'm tearing up again just typing it. Why am I so emotional about this? Gah!

StokedWifey

I have left daycare in tears plenty of times.  It's totally normal.  You invest a lot in your center and your child's teachers, and it takes a lot to leave your baby in the care of someone else. When something changes that you think may affect your baby's well-being or he's upset, it's okay to be upset too.  

Kellen is still a little even though he looks like a big boy.  He will handle it like a champ- likely better than you.  I'm sure he was perfectly fine before you pulled out of the parking lot.

lewispm

Thanks guys. It's nice knowing I'm not alone!

 And I just want to add that the director pointed out that K was getting so attached to Ms. Francis that he was wanting to be sitting in her lap or playing with her all day instead of running around with the other kids. He would get upset whenever she left the room, even if just to go to the bathroom, and had a hard time every Monday when the late care teacher first came in and Ms. Francis left. He was requiring Ms. Francis rock him to sleep and would usually only nap maybe 30-45 mins because he wouldn't go in his crib. She thinks this change, though hard at first, will most likely be a great growth opportunity for him because he was using Ms. Francis as a crutch rather than socializing as much as he could have been. As hard as it is for me to hear how attached he was (I knew he loved her, but I didn't really know it was getting to be a detriment), I agree that this really will help him.

He's such an outgoing little guy (though he has always been pretty dependent) that I figured he was running around with the other kids all day and had no clue he was being so clingy. Ms. Francis had told me before that he loved sitting in her lap while playing, but I guess I just didn't realize how his attachment was hindering him.

APendola

That's too bad.  I know the kids get attached to their teachers and vice versa.  Parents get attached too.

I hope your LO has a great connection with another person at the day care.  It will just take some time.

lada85

I can imagine how how that was on both of you! Like you said I think it will be a great opportunity for him to be even more outgoing. You are a great mama who loves her guy and that's what's important!! I would have been crying with you!

ashleynaka

Sorry to hear that his teacher will not be teaching him any longer. I would have cried too, so don't feel bad. I don't know how you ladies cope with daycare issues as well as you all do. I would be a mess everyday, although I know it gets easier. I hope he ends up liking one of the new teachers as much as his old one.

singingirl96

I can commiserate.  I had to make the decision to change daycare providers due to a scheduling issue.  His old daycare lady had been taking care of him since he was 3 months old, and they were very attached to each other.   I had to change him to a different place and I felt like the worst person in the world for breaking both of their hearts. I know that ultimately it was the best decision for our family, but I still felt horrible.  I felt like I was breaking up with someone.