Hi again A.. I've been thinking about you this morning (My original response is below) and wanted to re-read my response as well as those from all the other Mums with advice for you. So I have and I noticed that not one of them considers YOUR needs. I simply NEEDED to start my daughter in pre-school, for my own sake. It shouldn't make you feel guilty. Please, don't feel guilty. If you need a break, then take a break. Your son will be fine. If your instinct tells you the school is good and he is engaged and having fun, then go with your gut, stick it out, do a third morning a week to help him make the transition faster, and take some time for yourSELF. Guilt-free YOU TIME! Here is my original response below:
I feel your pain A.. My daughter just turned three. When she was 2 1/2, we started her in a pre-school for two full days a week. She told us "I'm ready for school; I'm a big girl" and LOVED the first couple of weeks. But then the honeymoon ended and the reality set in. She'd cry and cry the moment she woke up. Every day it was the same question: "Do I have to go to school today?" And then the waterworks would start. This continued for four months. When she turned three, it stopped. Like, literally. She turned three and it stopped. Something about turning three made her BIG. Now she still says she'd (and I quote) "prefer to stay home and help you with all your work mummy." But she loves it!
All pre-school teachers say that three days a week is better. I think if you're only sending him mornings, he should probably go three days a week. He'll get used to it faster.
In hindsight, I might have waited till my girlie turned three; but she LOVES it when she's there, she NEEDS the interactions she gets there, and she LEARNS so much that I simply can't teach her when we're one-on-one, no matter how well organized and energetic I am.
PLUS, hey, it's great for me to have some time to myself, knowing she's in the hands of good, talented, loving pre-school teachers.
Good luck and stay strong.
K. in EC