1st week in Preschool

[Ryan Sng]

happypoppy:

Hi,


Would appreciate some valuable advice from experienced Mummies/ preschool teachers. This is the 1st week of playgroup for my lil toddler (1+ year old). The 1st day was expectedly not that great with him crying intermittently for Mummy. Day 2 was slightly better with less crying but could tell he wasn’t happy (no happy smile which is unusual for my usually happy baby). Day 3 was worst off than Day 2. He started fussing the minute we turned into the school’s driveway and burst into tears when I handed him over to his teacher. Thereafter, I lingered around at the premises observing him (w/o his realization of course) for quite a while before leaving and I noticed that while he wasn’t crying like the rest of the kids, he looked lost and poignantly unhappy. Hence, Im wondering if there’s any way that I could make this transition from home to school less painful (for him) and heartbreaking (for me) .


-\tWill it help if I put him on half-day till he gets accustom to the preschool routine? Had it been a mistake to put him on full day at the onset?

-\tMy little one had nightmares after the 2nd day at school. Understand from the teacher that this is quite normal as some of the other parents had also commented encountering similar experiences with their kiddos. Hmmmm……… is this true or has the whole school experience been a tad overly traumatic for my little one. Feeling quite guilty for making him so unhappy.

-\tI tried introducing to him beforehand what school will be like through both books as well as real life experience (brought him to pick his cousin up from school). How fun school can be with new things to explore, new friends to befriend etc. is there more that I could have done?

-\tHow would an experience preschool teacher handle kids exhibiting separation anxiety as compared to an inexperience teacher? In my kiddo’s playgroup, essentially what the teachers do is to carry the bawling kid to sooth him and blowing bubbles to distract them. However with the no of bawling babies surpassing the no of teachers, Im wondering if there could have been a more effective way of soothing the babies. Is the school doing enough to ease the kids into school?

-\tThis question is probably subjective but how long will it take a child to settle happily into the preschool environment?

Would appreciate if mummies could share your views on the above as I really hope my lil one can be happy and enjoy the whole schooling experience.

Hi happypoppy,

I can fully understand your anxiety and sadness. I felt the same way too when my sister cannot look after my kids and bo pian have to send them to childcare. Both of my daughters (5 and 2 yrs old) were sent there every day. My 2nd daughter reacts similarly to your child. Therefore, I hope that you must see and detect warning signs of your child get withdrawn. This is essential because it happens to my child. Luckily the childcare teacher able to detect and told me of my child condition. She was a very happy and playful child but had became withdrawn and quiet ever since she was sent to child care. My wife and I took long leave to look after her personally and fortunately now she is recovering well. We sent her to another school where she is more lively and happy.
Have constant reviews with your child's school teacher and work out a best solution. Closely monitor your child's behaviour patterns and progress. I hope your child will do fine.
Take care.

[riash]

hi


i hv just started my son at childcare half day - he is 20 mths. so sad cos he cried so much the 2nd and third day. nightmares on day 2. i saw him sniffling all alone whilst the teacher was in toiler w another kid…shouldn’t teacher hold him and pacify him?

[Ryan Sng]

riash:

hi


i hv just started my son at childcare half day - he is 20 mths. so sad cos he cried so much the 2nd and third day. nightmares on day 2. i saw him sniffling all alone whilst the teacher was in toiler w another kid...shouldn't teacher hold him and pacify him?

Sometimes when the teacher is pre occupied, she might not able to pacify your child immediately. Maybe you can address the situation to the school's principal or the teacher herself. Be tactful when addressing your concerns because the teacher can be very stressed at that moment of time. I understand childcare teachers can be very stressed because they need to pacify crying kids and unable to juggle few things simultaneously. I strongly believed that child care centres should sent their teachers for training on managing stress. Because not all child care centres have teachers whom are stress tolerant...

[Mrsbongz]

hmm.. I sent both my kids to CC when they are about 20mths old. Yes they will cry but now they both love their teachers so much. I believe that when u select the school, you have to find out the teacher student ratio. Most CC will follow MCYS guidelines closely, but thankfully for the CC my kids attend, they recognise that it is really not enough, so they have more assistants..


My method is to be very honest with my kids, becos I want them to trust wat mommy says.. I stayed with them the whole day for day 1, leaving a little earlier at about 430pm. then the second day I left him for a while after they wake up from Nap, but pick up at the time I usually will. The 3rd day I leave before lunch, and then pick up same time. Each time I will make sure I explain that Mommy goes to work and will pick up after work. By end of 1st week, they know I will come back at that time and stopped crying

the teachers and assistants will also engage the child to keep them occupied so they don cry that long.

Stay positive and your child will learn from you that school can be very fun!