My 2.5 year old has been going to a "playgroup" preschool once a week since September. He is primarily at home with me, though we are in a social setting (playgroup or kids gym or playdate) once or twice a week in addition to his preschool. The only other people that watch him are his grandmother and his father. Up until recently, he did fine. Bye mom, i left, came back in a couple of hours, no problem. Then he saw another little boy who clung to his mother and cried every time she left. The other little boy has gotten better, but ever since he saw this, he has gotten progressively worse about me leaving. Usually the teacher says he is fine once i've been gone five minutes, and sometimes when i go to pick him up it's difficult to get him to leave. I know he has a fun time and he doesn't have any known social or discipline issues. But the last time i dropped him off, it had gotten so bad that he threw up from getting so upset that i had to go back and get him. Any thoughts on how to break this cycle and get him okay with me leaving again?
Practice leaving for short times at home with another adult there.
Keep drop off at preschool all business: here we are, have fun, be good, I'll be back at ABC:00." Kiss. Leave.
Repeat.
Good luck!
What one and done says. My son did the cry thing (not till he threw up, but apparently that's something that some kids do and not really a big deal). One day I had to talk to the center director for about 10 minutes. I snuck back to look in the door at him and he was TOTALLY FINE. Made me feel a LOT better the next day when he cried because I KNEW since I saw him bounce back that he'd be ok once the initial sadness was done.
They have a period of separation anxiety at that age. It shoudl pass by his bday, and then, he will want everyone but you to help him with things!
I have found with my grandchildren (8 of them) that they go through a phase of separation anxiety at around age 3. Most of them have done overnights with me since early infancy with no problems. Then, at age 3, they didn't want to come; would cry, etc. It is a phase. I think it's because at 3 they start to realize the world isn't all sunshine and roses. It's like an unhappy epiphany.
It's just a phase; it will pass. It really has nothing to do with him seeing another child crying.
There's a series of toddler books that teach on topics such as biting, hitting, kicking, manners, etc... There is one you might try called Bye Bye Time. Here's an amazon link for you or you can look it up-- the author is Elizabeth Verdick.
http://www.amazon.com/Bye-Bye-Toddler-Tools-Elizabeth-Ver...
My DD loves this series and it has helped her understand appropriate behavior.
You have to make sure your anxiety isn't influencing him. He may be picking up on it.
It is best to give them a hug then leave. Don't turn back, don't wave, don't go back and give them a hug, just leave.
The one time you do makes it all go back to when this started. I would say don't go pick him up. There is no way that is teaching him that he has to stay there, next time he goes he knows now that if he just keeps crying they'll call you and you'll come to get him. So he now has no reason to not cry, crying gets him what he wants.
He will have a few days where he cries once you start just leaving and then he'll give up and go back to being the way he was.
