Ready For Daycare?

[Ebonie]

I have a 2 yr. old and a 1 yr. old. I have been a stay-at-home mom since both my children were born and now its time for me to get back to work. I have already chosen a daycare facility for them, but my concearn is not with my 1 yr. old, but my 2 yr. old.
He does'nt take too well to strange people, so I'm kind of afraid that when he goes for the first time and I leave, that he will be too difficult for the daycare workers. He does have a bad temper when he's angry, but I dont want him to be that way once he realizes that I've walked out that door and I won't be coming back for a couple of hours. I know my son and I know his actions. My question is do children who have been with they're mother they're whole life tend to act this way when its time for them to go to daycare?

[LindsMom]

Yes they all act this way at 2 years old! My daughter was a terror and I literally thought maybe something was going on, but I would make surprise visits and she'd be happy playing with the other kids. All children go though separation anxiety and it really depends on the child when they come out of it.

Just know its going to be hard at first, I had days when I felt miserable leaving her, but I had no choice. Reading stories about going to preschool/daycare helps and I recommend a book called "I love you all day long" by Francesca Rusackas which I thinked helped my daughter a little. You may also try getting a copy of "The Kissing Hand" by Audrey Penn but its a little long and maybe for an older child. If you've done your homework and made sure their daycare is safe, all you can do is kiss your lil man good bye and leave quickly! Don't linger because it'll make it worse for you and him.

[Ashley Broughton]

As a mother of a 2, soon to be 3 yeard old little boy, I feel yoru pain and anxiety about this situation. My son began attending day care at 10 months old, but his day care provider was my aunt, who has her own in-home day care. Once he was a year and a half, I decided that it was time for a change and that he needed to be in a more structured environment.I enrolled him in a highly recommended day care and I was shocked when I realized how hard it was to leave him. The first few weeks, at least 3-4 times a week (out of 5 days!) my son would scream in terror when I left him. I felt uneasy and confused about leaving my screaming child to go to work. Lucky for me, my sons teachers were amazing and they ensured me that he was perfectly fine. A trick I learned was that my son LOVED to wait at the window for me to wave at him before I got in the car, another trick is to leave them, say your goodbyes, give them your kisses and then walk away but don't leave... within 1 minute my son would be silent and playing perfectly fine with the other children. Seperation anxiety eventually fades away, my baby boy is perfectly fine at his day care now although he does have seldom outburts! LoL Good luck!