Thursday, September 5

Surviving the first week of daycare... sort of.


This week is Zac's first week of daycare. We are starting slowly, with mornings only.
And still, it is SO hard.
I have cried every day this week, and at night I dread the morning...
... the dreaded "drop-off".
I tell you, saying goodbye and walking out that door is the hardest thing ever.
Oy! how my heart breaks to hear him cry from down the hallway.

I think it would be easier if I felt more comfortable with the daycare up here. 
And maybe Zac picks up on that anxiety, which in turn makes him feel worse.
It's not that the daycare workers are bad, they're just overwhelmed with too many babies. 
And Zac is used to a lot of undivided attention.

Today was day 3, and by far the hardest. He's figured it all out now and is adamantly protesting.
Apparently he cried all morning. ALL morning!

Ugh.... but despite my own emotional trauma and guilt, Zac is still his usual happy self after I pick him up at lunchtime. Clearly, he's coping with all this better than I am.
And our afternoons have become major cuddle-fests. It's true, as they say, that distance makes the heart grow fonder. I find myself treasuring our time together more now.

 ~

To anyone out there with daycare experience, does it get easier? 
Any tips on how to make this transition smoother?

~
New stuff:

Last night a friend sent me a very encouraging email after reading the above post, and I loved what she said so much that I thought I'd share a little snippit of it with you...


"One thing I will tell you from my experience the first time around... Days 3 and 4 are the hardest. They've caught on to everything by then and will fight tooth and nail. But it does pass. Before you know it he will be waving bye to you with a big smile on his face as he enters his world...where he will learn Cree! And when he emerges from that world and comes home he will be coming home to a wonderful mum who works and is fulfilled, and from that he will see that women can work and be mothers and do both jobs very well. That is a lesson he will take with him for his entire life."

I just love that so much.

4 comments:

Tanie said...

I know it's hard, but you just have to be patient and give him time to get used to it! It's a really big change so it might take a while.


lol I always say this to people but my own daughter cried when I dropped her off at daycare/school every day until the end of grade three, oh geez. I think it's because she didn't start daycare until she was three and three quarters.

Lady Grey said...

I know you're right, Tanie. Patience is not my best virtue ;)

Stacy said...

My son cried every day at drop off for the first week and then he was fine. He's thirteen now and doesn't remember a thing. ;)

Hang in there mama.

k said...

I definitely loved her response! It is easier. Wesley jumps in to the daycare workers arms now and smiles so big at them!! i still hate leaving him :(