My DD started pre-school this past fall and LOVED it. She was 2-1/2 when she started attending and she goes two days a week. The school has normal school hours so she is there from 8:45 - 3:15. Her first teacher left the school In January - she had a baby and decided to become a SAHM. Her next teacher was just as wonderful as the first and there were no issues with the transition from one teacher to the next.
DD loved school. She would ask every day if it was a school day and would be thrilled when it was a school day. From the first day she walked off to join her class with barely a goodbye and at pick up time would sometimes tell me she was too busy to leave right that minute. In other words, I could tell she loved every minute of it.
A couple of weeks ago the school year ended, she had one week where school was closed, and then she was back in class this week for "summer school". She got a new teacher for summer school and one of her favorite students is not in school for summer, but many of her other friends are still there. Her first day back did not go well, with lots of lip quivering and teary eyes - I could tell she was trying not to cry and figured she just needed to adapt to the new teacher.
This morning going to school was a disaster. Huge sobs, begging me to let her stay home, non-stop crying when we got there. I talked to her teachers and her old teacher is going to spend some time with her to help her transition to the new one. Seeing her react so badly when she loved school for all this time worries me.
Has anyone else had this happened? What did you do? My heart tells me to pull her and not force her to go but my head tells me she just needs to adjust. I just don't want to see her hate school. What would you do?
It is so totally normal for your child to be more clingy sometimes that other especially with a week home with mommy and a new teacher. have you called the school to check on her? i bet she's happily playing..
If she doesn't have to go, that is, if you aren't working or doing something else that prevents you from keeping her with you, I would not make her go. Kids that age change so quickly, what she loved six months ago may not be what she loves now.
On the other hand, if you Are working/other, then don't worry too much. The adjustment can be tough, and your sensitivity and calm will help her. It's good that the teacher she knows is going to help with the dropoff. Maybe your daughter was just having a rough day--after a vacation is always tough.
No matter what, once a child starts school and every year after that, they WILL have a different Teacher and class mixture of kids.
It just is.
A child will adjust.
It is a transition period.
It happens.
Sure, talk to the Teacher.
And yes, you need to talk with your child too and guide them.
It is growing-pains.
all the best,
Susan
I am wondering why a 3 year old would be attending summer school, unless you are working and it is just part of her day care. Real school-age children don't go to school in the summer unless they are part of a year round system, and even then there are month long breaks throughout the year. There's absolutely no reason to force a child barely out of diapers to go to "school". In the future she will face situations where she has to adjust, but that is a few years down the road when her maturity level matches what she needs to be mature about. I would wait until the fall, give it a try again and see what happens.
my son did this also his first year of preschool. come to find out there were some "rough" boys on the playground who weren't so nice, and my son is a bit sensitive with some things. teachers didn't see what went on, but my son finally told me that the kids were being mean and chasing him. once he started the next school year, he took about a month or so to adjust then he was fine. my son doesn't like change very much, your daughter might be the same.
I would give it some time to have the old teacher see if she can help but if you don't need her in pre-school to work, then I would pull her out. It's summer time. Let her have some vacation time, recoup and give herself some time to get enthusiastic about going back in the fall. She's so young that you're lucky she did so well with long days. Maybe do some play dates with other kids who she will likely be going back with in the fall to keep her feeling "in the loop" with her buddies. She's got the next 15+ years to be in school - if she's not back to having fun soon, I'd give it a rest for a while.
