I have battled with this exact problem!! I found telling him in the morning made him cranky and not want to get ready!! So i would get all his stuff ready the night before and i would tell him we were going to the shop.. (which is next to day care) once in the car, i would say "after the shop its time for care!" and we would go to the shop and get something milk, the paper, whatever i could think of that we needed that day, and then we would go to care.

DS cried alot for about two months. Then just as he was starting to get better, they had xmas break where he ended up with a three week break, and when we went back, it started all over again.

He also just goes one day a week, and he is happy to go there, as long as i am coming too. So when he started to ask if i was coming to care, i would say "yes" mummy is coming to put your lunch in the fridge, and put your blankie in your sleeping room and put your hat in your shelf. Then mummy has to go , but mummy will be back."

So out of that he got that yes, mummy is coming and most importantly once mummy goes, SHE WILL COME BACK!!!!!

Now he is doing great!! I can tell him now in the morning its Care day and he is happy to get ready. He walks in now and we both put his things away (or sometimes he just heads right in to play) and he waves and says See ya!! and he is fine!! But it took a long time, and the thing that worked the most was constantly telling him that "i will always come back" He even tells the carers now, My mummy is coming back soon!"

Also i would tell him that when i come to get him we will do something special, sometimes if i am walking it means getting an icy pole from the shop on the way home, or going to the "big shops" or something for him to look forward to!!

Its hard, but it does get easier once they adjust!!!! I dont even have to go to the shop first anymore!!!!