First day at preschool - mostly the tears are Mummy's...

[Jennifer13]

Lucy's first day at preschool without me today. She was very excited to be there, totally comfortable and happy in her surroundings (we've been along a few times before) and playing without needing me.

I had told her today she would stay without Mummy and would she be sad or okay with that? She told me in the car she'd be 'Sad' then 'Okay'. How smart are kids?! I told her how she would have lunch, then a nap on the little bed (she's been dying to use the little bed, but we have always left before then), then music time and play and then Mummy would come back. Bit quiet about that, but accepting.

Daddy came as well, we watched her play outside, Daddy left, then her little class went inside to play.

Time came to say goodbye. I did a little trial run by telling her I was going to the car to put the camera away and came back. She was fine with that. Then I told her Mummy had to go to work now and she was going to stay here and have fun. Her little arms wrapped around my neck very tightly and she said 'Mummy, no'. Few tears (from her, although I was choking them back by this stage too), but I handed her to Paula and she cried and called for me as I left and waved goodbye.

I waited in the front room and collected some paperwork and had someone check to see if she was still crying (because if she was I was going to join her!), but her teacher came back and said she was fine.

I saved my tears for the car ride home. It's such a reminder that from now on she is going out into the world on her own more and more. I'm there to support her but I can't protect her from the little things (and eventually the bigger things) that will upset and challenge her. And I don't want to, but I do so wish this wasn't so hard!

Now I can hardly wait for 3pm so I can go and pick my baby up!

[Pretty Butterfly]

Congrats and hugs for such a hard morning honey.... My 1st ds day I cried so much the teacher asked me to leave because i was upsetting the other children, so you have done a great job!!

[Jennifer13]

Heehee, thanks PM, you made me giggle!

It's only one day a week, you think I'd be braver than she is!

[Liz]

Oh wow! It's a bit scarey watching them grow up before our eyes isn't it?

Our pre-school won't take kids until they're 3 (which reminds me I have to put his name down now that he's turned 2) - I'm hanging to send DS somewhere for a day LOL! There are daycares, but they're not the same as pre-school, so it's another year at home for my boy hehe.

Well done to Lucy for being so brave and to mum for being brave too! hehe.

[~Kim~]

Sounds like you both did very well!

Happy Birthday Lucy and Tallon for yesterday.

I hope she had a great day at school!

[Phteven]

How did she go?
Imran starts in about 3 weeks. He's going to have his big brother to keep an eye on him so he'll probably have a blast.

[smiles4u]

JENNIFER I have a friend who's daughter's name is Hope Lucy & would you believe it she was born the very same day as your Lucy 10th of March 2006

... She had 'The Fairies' as the theme for her party on Sunday and we had a lovely day at Funbugs with her for her actual 2nd birthday yesterday

... I wonder if your Lucy is anything like Hope Lucy

[mrsmac]

Oh Jen its awlays harder on the mum isn't it?? We have a "tea and tissues" morning tea at our school on the first day of school for the kindy mums!!
I didn't realise they could go to preschool at 2 either (Happy birthday Lucy BTW) She will have so much fun and socialising that she will barely notice you have gone.

[{sarah}]

I still get a bit teary when I drop Zander ff & tomorrow is his sixth time!

Hop you both had a good day....

[Jennifer13]

Awww thanks girls, we both made it through the day intact!

Kim - congrats on your pg btw, I didn't realise!

There are only a couple of preschools in our area that take them from two and to be honest the one she is going to is the only one that IMO is a proper preschool and not just a daycare centre for the over-2s. I personally didn't want to send her off to childcare. Liz, are there any occasional care centres in your area (there's one near here that some of the Mums love)? They would give you the odd morning or afternoon break here or there and give Tallon a chance to socialise without having to put him into regular childcare.

Her teacher told me when I picked her up that you would never have known it was her first day, she was absolutely fine. She was happy to see me, but not overly ecstatic or clingy and really just excited to tell me that they'd had a chicken that she gave a pat. (They've hatched them from an incubator).

Thanks again girls!

[Trish]

Aww Jen, your baby is growing up hun

You know there are days when Tehya still cries when I leave her at daycare. She's been going for a year now. We've just changed to a Pre school and she starts there tomorrow. I'm so not looking forward to it. We've been going to the other one since Noah was 2, so this would be our 4th year. I think I will miss it more than Tehya.

Onwards and upwards hun. I hope Lucy continues to love Pre school.

Oh, not to make you anxious, but in my experience the sooks start about 3 weeks into it. Hope Lucy doesn't do this for you

[Jennifer13]

Trish, I wouldn't be surprised if she was worse next week since she KNOWS what the story is and that she'll be there all day. But I'm happy that she at least had such a good time that she'll get over missing me quickly.

There's one little girl in her class who screams, cries, throws tantrums and begs for Mummy and Daddy pretty much all day. I've been along for two full mornings where I stayed with Lucy and this poor child doesn't let up. Yesterday she was the best I've seen and DP thought she was really bad. And that was her NINTH week/time. Personally, if Lucy was still that distressed after coming for months I'd be thinking about taking her out and leaving it another year. They're only two...

[Trish]

Jen, I totally agree. However, what if mum and dad have to work and there is no other option. OMG, I can't believe what I am saying. LOL.

But yes, if it were my child and they stayed that distressed all day I would consider pulling them out and keeping them at home with me too.

There is a little girl in Noah's kindy class and she still cries, she has never been left. Never went to pre school/ daycare and cries if she can't even see her mum from the class room window. So as hard as it may be leaving our babies at pre school / day care we are actually doing them a favour in the long term.

OT, I love your title hun

[Jennifer13]

Mum doesn't work but I suspect she needs a break, considering that the teacher told me apparently this little girl throws tantrums a lot at home as well. So we might have a parenting/personality issue here.

I think it is good for kids to learn to be independent, but gently so they don't feel 'abandoned' if absolutely possible.

thanks for the title comments. Altho mostly I must admit that I get positive comments for bfing, I think that's mainly because I only talk about it on BB or at an ABA meeting!

[kas]

Jen, I am so happy for you all that things went went smoothly at pre school. Lucy sounds so secure and independant within herself. I guess because her vocabulary is much bigger than Liam's she seems so grown up!(Liam is only now just getting two words together, and alot is still hard to work out unless what he is saying you can see as well) She has done extreamly well for her first day, and so have you. But as you said, don't be surprised if next time doesn't go as smootly.

As said in Legally Blonde ****SNAPS for LUCY******

[Jennifer13]

Well, second day at preschool today and I barely got a backward glance!

She was very excited when we got to preschool, took off to play as soon as I let her in and when I went over to her five minutes later to say goodbye it was all I could do to get her kiss me goodbye! She waved and said 'bye bye' and went straight back to playing.

Good news for her, but how unloved do I feel??!!

[tiggerandpooh]

The piece of elastic that keeps us connected with our kids just stretched a little further for you Jennifer! Wait til she is 12 and calmly telling you that "you are going to have to let me go to...the movies...shopping...whatever... at some stage mum" arghhhh... Each time that piece of elastic stretches for me I shed a few tears.

I went to a course yesterday that had child care available with it... it was the first time I have left Aston in that kind of situation, and I was antsy as hell about it. He was full into playing with in seconds of arriving, and I gave him a cuddle and kiss goodbye, little tears for two seconds... and back into it. I stuck my head into check on him in the break, and he didnt even acknowledge me! and at lunchtime, went into have lunch with him, and he had put himself off to sleep!!! in amongst the noise and other kids... so not only is my 12 and nine year old stretching the elastic, so is my baby!!!

I'm so glad that it was a positive experience for Lucy, I so understand what you mean about them moving into another dimension of experiences that aren't connected directly to you... your baby girl is growing up.

[Jennifer13]

Can you believe the little b*gger - when I went to pick her up she smiled when she saw me, but no running over for cuddles. When I said we were going home she ran back into the cubby house and said 'bye bye'! I let her play for 10 mins while I collected everything and had a chat to her teacher and then retrieved her. Tantrum all the way to the car then because we were leaving... Plenty of giggles from the teachers but now I feel even more unloved!

I think I'm going to have to get used to the idea that my little girl is quite sure of herself and doesn't think she needs a lot of help from Mummy when it comes to the big wide world.

Vicky - how can Laura be wanting to go to the movies on her own when it only seems like yesterday she was a toddler??! Sounds like you've got another confident kid on your hands in Aston too. *sniff* I don't know whether to be happy about their abilities or sad for us!