Please Help

[kitkat]

Dcg is 22 months. Came part time last school year and full time this school year. Parting from dcm has been difficult, got better briefly, and is now getting rough again. Drop offs are super quick. Dcm will hand her off or I take her from mom, she cries, I would distract her with dd (who she loves), and she'd be fine, give her a few minutes and then take her nuk away, and she'd be ok. I weaned her from me holding her and she was ok. Now suddenly she's a hot mess. Cries for nuk, cries when I tell her to go play, cries when I tell her to not step on a toy, etc. She will only play if someone else has a toy out today. I started the crying corner this week. She gets it. She'll stop crying, come out, I tell her to play or bring her to a toy to play, she cries. Today I am putting her on her nap mat because it's so much. She fell asleep mid-morning Tuesday from the crying, was a bit better yesterday because ds was here, and is sleeping now because she exhausted herself from crying. Tues/Thurs have always been rougher because ds has preschool so dcg is the only one here for 2 hours. Today has been non-stop since drop off, which is new.

Please tell me, what else do I need to do to get her back on track. I don't know how she got off track to begin with. Thank you!

[Soccermom]

How long has she been with you this year?

I have always found that there seems to be a honeymoon period with most returning or new DCKs...normally lasts about a week or two until they realize that 5 days a week is a long time to be away from Mom and they aren't a fan of the whole idea anymore.

The newness and excitement of new toys and faces become old news and they begin to miss Mommy and Daddy. They will protest the idea of being with their childcare provider very loudly and make their point very clear.

My advice is to wait it out and keep doing what you are doing. Show her lots of love and affection when she is happy and have her sit somewhere alone when she is crying.

I would greet her, set her down in the play area and then move on with your morning. She will eventually come to realize that there is nothing she can do to change her fate and will settle in nicely.

Maybe try to plan some really fun games, activities and simple projects the two of you can do together to help with bonding. Lots of cuddles and reading together can help as well. Once she feels close to you, she will feel more comfortable spending the day in your home with you.

Good luck!

[AmyKidsCo]

If she's closer to 2 than 3 I'd le her have her Nuk if she needs it. Put it in her cubby where she can get it if she wants. If you find it on the floor put it back in the same place. She may end up not needing it, but knowing it's there may be enough.