My 3 year old just started a Montessori preschool 3 days per week (M-W) and he is home with a nanny he has had since he was born on Thursday and Friday. His older brother (age 5) also goes to the same school and they are in the same class because of the Montessori system of 3 years in one classroom. My 3 year old was very excited to start school and had no problem the first day (which was a half day). He was upset the second day because he didn't like the nap (but he really needs his nap). Now he constantly tells me he does not want to go to school anymore. The only thing he says is he doesn't like is the nap. He woke up at 3am last night to go to the bathroom and told me he didn't want to go to school. The first thing he says when I get home or when he wakes up in the morning is that he doesn't want to go to school. It seems he is thinking about it all the time and it is stressing him out. I know apprehension about school is normal but I am concerned that it seems to always be on his mind. Has anyone else experienced this and what did you do to help your child?
We've gone through a few bouts of this over the last 5 years...you've gotta just keep him in the groove. Never cave. They smell your fear like a shark smells blood in the water! LOL It's really hard on the mom, but benefits the child. Good luck!
Not sure if you will find this helpful- but I was a child who hated school also. I would cry and beg to not go regularly. What finally did me in was in the 2nd grade (I had a teacher who was a little scary!) I didn't want to go one day and after I got out of the car at school I turned around and chased my mom's car all the way down the highway- to my surprise she kept going. (Now that I am a mommy,I have no idea how) After throwing a lunchbox and a tantrum and watching all of my lunch food get run over by passing cars- I walked back to school, tardy and all- Although it was somewhat traumatic at the time, in the long run it did make me realize no amount of begging would change her mind. Needless to say I don't recommend letting your child chase you down the freeway, but I would say stick to your guns and stand firm- Change is scary for a lot of kids, but learning to adapt to change is a good thing.- Best of luck!
I really don't have any ideas as it seems that you need your son to be there because you are at work. But I wanted to let you know that this is normal, at least in our house ;)
When my son started preschool at 3yr old he loved it after a couple of rough drop offs. The teachers kept urging me to leave him for a full day instead of picking him up before nap, they insisted that he was ready for it and I would get a longer break (I had a new baby at home). My instinct told me he wasn't ready as he hadn't napped in over a year, but I left him because he said he WANTED to stay for nap because most of the other kids did. I should have listened to my gut.
After napping there once he was totally freaked out and HATED school, screaming in the car on the way and hanging on the fence when I dropped him off. He only went three days a week but all seven days a week he would ask in the morning "do I have to go to school today?" I even had started picking him up before nap again, and assured him daily that he didn't have to sleep at school anymore, but he was just ruined. He didn't ever seem to recover until we switched schools (for financial reasons) where there was no nap. Once he was told that the new school didn't have a nap time, he went happily!
Maybe your nanny can pick him up after lunch? I don't know if that's in your budget to pay her five days a week as well as paying for school for both kids, but it may help.
Talk to him to figure out if it is just the naptime that he does not like. If that is the only thing then tell him that naptime is a part of the day just like outside time, meal time, etc... If the school has a policy that he must sleep then encourage him to sleep. My middle son was not a good napper( never napped more than 45-60 minutes, if he even napped) but he went through a time that he was very crabby when he did not get enough sleep. We told him that when he was feeling crabby then he needed to take a nap and he would feel better. He did and it helped. If the school has just a rest time policy then talk to the teacher to see what he can do quietly during the rest time. Then talk to him about being quiet during that time so that others can sleep. Good Luck!
montessoris arnt for every child i was sent to one and the teachers had to pull me out of my car while my mother released each finger from the steering wheel. i still remember it. try a different school. montessoris can be horrible
Well, he has to go to school, that's it. Just take him, turn around and leave. He will make friends. Sorry he hates the nap, but he still needs it and don't know why he isn't used to it from home. The more attention you pay to this constant barrage from him and the more guilt you feel which he will pick up on, the worse it will be. Just say, "I understand you don't like school yet. I'm so sorry that you feel that way, but everyone goes to school." and leave the room or change the subject and so on....
What does he have from home that he could have with him for naptime? It may be that the whole thing is so unfamiliar that he's having a hard time adjusting. Can you get him a stuffed toy like he sleeps with at home? Or a pillow with the same pillow case? Or a throw blanket with the same character he has on his comforter? Anything that brings familiarity will help.
