Reassurance? School - at the beginning.

[xx~Lor~xx]

My four year old started school last week, she did a week of half days and honestly she never wanted to go, and it got worse towards the end. I put it down to it being a new classroom (she knows the school as she went to the nursery attached) , she doesn't really like change. Starting tomorrow she will be doing full school days, and quite honestly I'm dreading the battle.

We spent the day with my sister today, and my sister asked her what the best bit of school was, her reply - the end of school. She actually started getting quite emotional at the thought of going to school, and we had to quickly change the subject. Has anyone else's child been like this? They take her full of tears into the classroom, and it kills me, but I'm there, on my own, with my two other children so I just have to hold it together and walk away.

Anyone have any tips for making this easier on the both of us? In particular her, I try and talk to her about school and she just says she hates it. But then when I pick her up she is all smiles - not sure whether that's because it's home time or whether its because she's had a good day! She tells me good things about her day... Ahh... The other children seem fine when they go in now, even one little girl who had real separation issues with her mum seems fine, it's just my daughter advice?? My partner works long days and really doesn't understand how difficult it is to drag her in each day and walk away from her in tears.

 

[OmarsMum]

I don't have any advise, I came to this section to check if anyone is in the boat.

Omar started last week, he's in KG1 which is school here as they have to go full time for 5 hrs a day in a school.

Today he had a breakdown at bedtime he cried none stop begging me not to send him tomorrow. He & another boy are still not adjusting to the change. His teacher is understanding & she's trying her best to settle him but it seems that nothing is working. There 2-3 kids in each class who are still not settled.

At bed time he told me while crying that he hates school & he doesn't want to go as it's not fun. He smiles as soon as I pick him up but his eyes are always swallowed from crying all day

He asked me to take him to Thailand as it's too far away from school

I ended up crying after he finally fell asleep, it's exhausting & heartbreaking

 

[xx~Lor~xx]

Thanks for letting me know I'm not the only one with this problem, with no responses it feels like maybe we are an abnormality!!

Poor Omar that's heartbreaking for you to see him like that I'm sure at the very least when I pick Robyn up from school, she was happy as anything and said she had a really good day. Today was her first full day (8.45-3.05) and we had some tears at home this morning getting ready to go to school, but OH had the day off so he came with us to the school, and she went in with no tears. I guess it's sort of progress, just the rest of the week.. Term.. 14 years to go :/

 

[Eleanor ace]

I'd have a word with her teacher and see how she is during the day. I'm a teacher and when I taught Reception I'd have some children who were dropped off in floods of tears, only to be fine five minutes later. Their poor parents would be so worried! Some children take a while to adjust to a new classroom, new teacher, new structure to their day. It can be harder when they have younger siblings as some children want to regress a little in response to having to grow up a bit, and seeing their younger siblings able to go home and be little makes them feel emotional in a way they can't quite express. But with a little time they get used to being at school, they realise that although it's a change it's not a bad change and soon they're all smiles and can't wait to get into the classroom at the start of the day.

 

[JASMAK]

Wow, 4 is really young for full day school! Just keep helping, stay if you can. Can you hold her back a year?

 

[PrincessZ]

In england everybody starts school the sept after their 4th birthday, so some have just turned 4 others will be turning 5 in the sept. Usually only the v youngest aug born can be held back.

No personal help as i do not have children but used to work in a nursery where the older pre school children would come in crying and be perfectly fine I also suffered as a child of this everyday untill about year 3 i would go in crying! I also was allowed to go into the classroom before all the other children and sharpen pencils etc hehe. My mum was told once to appear back at the door within half an hour and saw me happily playing. Id talk to the school as others mentioned may help you x