daycare moms - do all children love it?

neesernicole

Malia has been going to an in-home dc since she was 3 mo.  We had to switch when she was 18 months and in April she will be going to X's for a full yr.

Drop offs have never been easy.  She's never "so excited and runs to see her friends."  But she'll cry for about a minute and be ok for the rest of the day.  Daily she says, "I don't wanna go to X's."  I'll ask her why and she doesn't have a response.

My gut says that she's just the type of kid who won't ever like daycare.  I don't really have any other ways to test this (I work f/t and try to avoid other daycare situations as much as possible, ex.: church or gym nursery).  I also don't have a reasonable daycare center alternative.

I also blame the age thing too (she's a little over 2).  I don't know.  Is my gut wrong? Should all children love to go to daycare?  Give it to me straight.  i hate questioning myself.

shopgirl78

I don't think my kids love it.  H will tell you in a heartbeat that she'd rather stay home.  It's been tough since her fav teacher left in Dec.   N is usually happy at dropoff because he immediately goes and eats...

xbrooklyngrl

B likes it. When I did drop off, she'd cry every single day. I hated it. When DH started doing it, she waves goodbye and runs off. Ever given the chance to stay home, she definitely prefers to stay!

katie277s

DS is in his 3rd daycare.  He is just fine when I drop him off, because he is used to it at this point.  I think he likes it, because it is the only thing he knows.  I work FT and have to have him in daycare all day, everyday.  Occasionally, he will get upset when I leave, but that is usually only if other kids are upset at the time. 

REOM

Gina loves it, but she has a very busy, outgoing personality to match. Emi is a bit more reserved, and I fear that she won't love it.

One of G's little friends had a really hard time when they switched rooms. So her dad coordinated with my DH to drop off the girls together. Ella was much happier leaving her dad when she walked in with Gina.  Does M have a special friend you could coordinate with?

tsu_04

For my daughter she recently just started being ok with me leaving her.  From the time she started until just a few weeks ago she would cry when i left.  They always said she was fine a few minutes after I was gone, but I always worried that she knew something I didn't.  (She is a mommy's girl too)  Now she loves it, she hugs me bye and pushes me out the door almost before I can even get her bags put up.  I think the change for her is she is more active in the next classroom and was just getting to bored in the infant room.  Do they have a lot of different activities?  Could be something that doesnt mesh well, I know my daughter clings to certian staff and has nothing to do with others.  Sometimes kids would just rather be with there parents so they are going to say they dont want to go.  I would try to drop in with out them knowing to see how she is being treated that might help you feel better.

michelcreek

I know of one child (in a class of 25) who def. doesn't like daycare.  He is always sulking and even crying a lot.  But all other 24 kids have a great time there, from what I see. Drop off's are never easy, I think around age 1 and age 2, they'll all have bouts of it being really hard.

As for her saying she doesn't like it, that would worry me too.  But since there is nothing you can do to change it, I would suggest going there and sitting with her one day, so you can see for yourself what her day is like.  Maybe some small changes to the routine, etc.

And I don't think they run to their friends till they are older, my almost 4 year old is just starting to do this.

 Best of luck!

neesernicole

REOM - funny, M actually prefers it when she's the first one there.  Which happens occasionally.

Xbrook - M always has great drop-offs with dh.  i thought he was just lucky b/c he does d/o maybe 2 times a week.  maybe there's something more to it???

TxGal

DD has always had a tough time transitioning rooms and is a bit more shy in public than most 2 year olds. She does love her DC though. Once she is set in a room she goes in happily and says, "by by mama." It could just be M's personality.

 DD has never been one to go to strangers (even as an infant) and we think it is just her personality. I was super shy as baby/child- until I was like 16 I blame it on genetics )

 GL- I am sure it is hard on you. 

xbrooklyngrl

I don't know, maybe we give off some tension or something? I love that DH does it now, I used to leave there in tears all the time. And she actually prefers him taking her too because a few times he asked if she wanted me to take her and she says "no, mama pick me up, you take me" lol

jen5-03

DD started going part time at 8mo. And she always cried at drop offs. At 15mo we had to change schools, and after a week adjustment, she loved it.

So now I think that the first school just wasn't a good fit for her, but I don't know if it was the teacher that wasn't a good fit, or just the other kids! I kind of suspect that it was the other kids because a lot of them were pretty rowdy/active and DD is quiet and pretty much just played with one girl who was also quieter than the other kids.

And when DD goes to church nursery, they end up having to hold her the whole time and she cries the whole time, UNLESS my BFF's 2 girls are there. So now we only go to church when my BFF is going and taking her 2 girls.

MarchMom06

Sam has always liked daycare & never minded the drop off. Nick does well after he adjusts, but he still has an adjustment phase. .. every day. He has a fabulous teacher & I know that he likes it after he warms up, but his personality just requires a bit more hand holding each day, if that makes sense. He's like that in every situation, so it's not just daycare.

VivaAmore

Mia seems to really enjoy hers but I'm sure she'd stay home with me in a second too and never ask about it! She's very independent and often times when I go to pick her up, she doesn't even want me to accompany her to get her coat and lovey! She wants to do it all by herself!

I only have my experience from when I was younger. My mom sent me to this preschool when I was 3 or 4 and I remember doing nothing but crying that first day. Everyone was nice and we did fun things but it just didn't feel right. To this day I can still remember the smell of the place. I didn't go back but instead was enrolled in another one which I LOVED from day 1.

I also worked at a daycare in the 1-2 yo room. Many kids would cry at drop-off but within a minute of the parents leaving they would be off and playing like they didn't even notice. It feels awful as a parent but unless the caregivers are saying she's miserable all day long, I'm sure she's fine!

REOM

neesernicole:

REOM - funny, M actually prefers it when she's the first one there.  Which happens occasionally.

Xbrook - M always has great drop-offs with dh.  i thought he was just lucky b/c he does d/o maybe 2 times a week.  maybe there's something more to it???

Have your DH take her everyday! I have never actually done the drop off, my DH always did. Then you get to be the hero and pick her up : )

LOL