4Yr Old All the Sudden Doesn't like preK

There doesn't have to have been anything that adults would recognize as being wrong or traumatic for your son. My philosophy is to follow my child's lead when they take me by surprise. I pause and think thru any possibility that they need me to provide firm structure or do they need open warmth. When they are this upset and it's out of the ordinary I do not force them to do what is causing the outburst. If the child doesn't use tears to manipulate then I assume there is something wrong, even tho it's not obvious. My goal is then to provide support for their emotions.

It's hard to tell what is wrong from your son's view point. I suggest you provide some quiet, warm, supportive time with him so that he's able to talk with you about this. Perhaps tell him a story about a little boy who was upset about being at school and ask him what he thinks the boy might be upset about.

I have kept both my daughter and my granddaughter home from school when they were fearful. They were ready to go back to school the next day. My sense is that they were in need of that extra attention from me and once their "love cup" was filled up again they were OK.

I would not keep him home as much as I might want to: ) There could be so many things going on. A dream about school, a cold coming on, missing you, realizing the separation.

My daughter, 4.5 (pre-K), has been regressing a little lately. Wanting to be held like a baby, wanting me to do things she's been doing capably. I just think it has more to do with two steps forward, one step back. She wants to know she's still a kid, I'm still going to be there for her and when this happens I know a growth surge is going to happen soon. ( I feel a little sad thinking about it because growth means more confidence in her independence. More separation - from me: ( )

If you display confidence in his ability to separate, your own love of and interest in the room/his teachers, to handle Pre-K - an environment you believe is safe and loving, then his reward will be his own confidence, that "I can do it" feeling.

Give it another week before you become more concerned or make any changes.

Hmmm...it does seem like something happened and maybe not with a teacher but fellow classmate. I would sit down with him and try to see if he has some type of reason. Maybe start with something that happened to you at school one time and how scared you were to go but how you got over it then say did anything like that happen to you? Perhaps he will share something with you. It really does seem like something that happened is bothering him.

Something is deffinatly out of sorts here. Maybe the eacher was right she didnt SEE anything. Maybe a little kid did or said something that scares him, maybe something in the class room freaked him out. sit him down and chat talk to him about what he loves about scholl what he likes about school what bores him and what is silly and SCARY at school. Tell him you love him and if he feels like he NEEDS to come home to not pee his pants but tell the teacher and tell them WHY. The only person that can tell you what happened or what is going on that has him this way is HIM dont force him into school!!!!! Find the problem and work on the solution its not just a way to ge his way he feels scared upset over something. Did the class get a new pet? a NEw story? probe it out momma!! Good Luck!!

Don't keep him home. That will just show him that if he does pee, then the next day he can guilt you into letting him stay home. My daughter tells my husband she doesn't want to go to preschool because she loves them (he and her brother) so much and they have so much fun together. And she cries when she gets on the bus. But when she gets off, she tells us about her day and how much fun it was (including the bus ride). I'd say continue to give him hugs, encouragement and praise. But do not let him stay home! This too shall pass!

Hi,
While there might be a problem, it could also be typical adjustment. Some children start preschool well, and then change their minds a few weeks later. It was almost as if they're thinking: "I didn't realize I would be expected to keep going!" I sometimes think this is more difficult for their parents than it is for the parents who experience this the first weeks of school. It sometimes even occurs after long vacation breaks or time spent at home due to illness. If you choose to wait this out, keep an eye and ear out for true difficulties, but please don't ask him if there is anything wrong. If it's typical adjustment and he's feeling unsure, asking him will reinforce that there must be something wrong, because his beloved Mom keeps asking. Just ask about his day, as in: "Tell me about school today." Best of luck to you both.