Tips for settling into daycare

My son is 10 month old, and has been at daycare 7:30-1pm for 3 days a week for two weeks now, and they’ve suggested reducing the hours to 9-12 as he isn’t settling, they said he doesn’t play, he just naps or cries. He gets overwhelmed by the other children. He’s now started screaming whenever I leave the room at home, even if his Dad or Brother are with him! He’s clinging to me so badly, even my Mother visited last night and normally he goes straight to her, but panicked when she reached out for him! My partner suggests we start leaving him with our parents on the weekends so he gets used to being with other people, but I don’t want him to associate our home as a negative place as well as nursery! I don’t know what to do for the best! I find it difficult to trust people with my kids, even our parents. I was SA as a child, by more than one person my Mother trusted. So I feel like my reasoning is fair, but I also don’t want to make his separation anxiety worse! Please help 🥺 I’m back to work March 3rd and he will be in 3 full days at nursery then!

Show your support

Having u tried taking him to some baby groups before leaving him at day care so he can get use to other children gradually xx must b so hard I will b in same position soon but am trying to do groups so she gets use to other kids B4 nursery xx

Hi good morning I am only speaking as a first time mom of a 16 month old who has been in daycare since he was I guess about six months can’t remember anymore really however when he first started the program, he was not allowed to stay the full entire time. They had to gradually get him used to being there first for one hour then the next day two hours the next day three hours the next day four hours, which brought him to nap time in their schedule and then he was able to stay full day, but I pick him up at 3:30 DAily even though the program goes till 415 my advice is to restart his program so that he knows that you’re coming back to get him and that it’s temporary. Then going forward there are some days that my son is slightly more clingy than others, but I pack him his snacks. He’s got his friends and he usually settles down. Find songs at home that you guys can listen to together and then have this daycare play them as well. As far as him not getting along with the other children

It is the responsibilities of the daycare workers to teach the kids to get along properly

Also readjusting your schedule to make sure that he is going to bed around eight give him a bath at night will help with scheduling. My guess right now is that 730 is early for both of you and( causes anxiety, the morning rush. I understand you might have a job to get to, but it’s really important also to adjust your child to a good schedule so that he can learn to be away from you and enjoy going to school in the future.

Hi @Donna katzen I have a 12 year old as well but he didn’t go into nursery until he was 4 so this is a massive change for me! As far as bedtime goes, my baby is in bed at 6pm and we are up at 4:30/5am every morning. He started daycare for two hours per day which was fine, then we went from that to 5 and a half hours, but we’ve cut it back to 3 hours and seeing how he goes with that