Eewww bugger, I have a princess too and I'm not sure how she's going to go either...
Anyhoo, if there is tears and screaming I will give her a firm " Byebye, mummys coming back later!" and a big smile and I'll be walking out the door. (maybe sobbing in the car...)
This worked with DD1 an absolute treat, because I always did come back, and because I HAD to go to work. On advice from the staff I snuck back in a few minutes later and she was happily playing on the floor with not a care in the world.
If you let her know you ARE going and if she knows you WILL come back she should get used to it, but if she is a proper princess she will let you know she DOES NOT APPROVE....but it won't kill her iykwim?
Kris, big hugs hun. I can well understand how you are feeling. I don't really know what advice to give you. I am lucky my boys have been great with day care from the beginning. I used to spend a lot of time at day care when Jack was at his old kindy (right near work!) and I got to know all the kids. They all settled in within a week or so of starting except for one girl who was about 2 1/2 I think. She took a few weeks to settle in. So I would say there are some for whom day care doesn't work as well, but for most kids they do well. And being younger usually helps - at your dd's age I would think it be easier than in another few months or a year. This might not be true in your DDs case, but the chances are she will be ok.
I'm thinking that she might actually do better if you aren't there with her. I have often noticed kids (including my own on occassion!) cry for as long as parents are there and then run off and play happily the second mum or dad is out of sight. They definitely do "try it on" with us, they know how to bring on the guilts big time. Maybe tomorrow you could try dropping her off and leaving her for an hour or two and see how she goes without you. It could be worth a try.
Whatever happens this week, don't can your job just yet. You have to give it a try. If it doesn't work, you can look at getting a nanny or decide to quit work if that's an option. But I think quitting before you start will leave you wondering and I always think you should give something a shot before deciding it's not working. JMO.
Big hugs and GL. I hope she does settle in well and you can feel a bit better about it all. In my experience after going to back to work twice (once after each DS), the thought of it is actually harder than the doing. Hang in there hun, I am sure things will work out one way or another.
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