It can be worrying and frustrating when your child continually expresses a refusal to go to preschool or nursery.
Read on to find out how you can handle the issue sensitively.
Understand it’s normal for your child to feel anxious
Some children find adjusting to a new setting like play school or nursery really difficult. Your little one may be reluctant to go in for many reasons. They may feel nervous or scared about being somewhere they aren’t sure about; they could be anxious at the thought of leaving you or they could be feeling unsettled about being around people they don’t know.
Speak to your child
It’s important to try and gain an understanding of what’s going on. Depending on the age of your child, it might be easy to talk to your child about why they don’t want to go to nursery. You can then explain why they need to go in and discuss how you could make them feel better. Opening up the dialogue is always a good idea, as it it destigmatises the topic of preschool and makes it seem less scary.
Keep the nursery or preschool informed
Speaking to the nursery is always a good idea if your child is having trouble adjusting. If you speak to the staff at the centre then they will be able to help with the situation and you can work together to come up with a plan to make things as easy on your child as possible. By involving the team at the nursery or pre-school you will also be able to ensure that there’s a shared consensus when it comes to making your child feel at ease.
Focus on the positives
Make sure you focus on the positive aspects of nursery or preschool when discussing it with your child. If there’s a certain activity they really enjoy or a friend they like playing with, make sure this is frequently mentioned. This reinforces the idea that nursery is a good place and can help them feel more at ease about attending.
Try not to panic
Remember that you are not alone in this struggle. Many parents have difficulties getting their children excited about going to nursery and there will be plenty who are in the same boat as you. This won’t last forever so try not to feel too guilty about leaving them at nursery, even if they seem upset at first – in most cases, you’ll be doing the right thing and your kids will be in safe hands.
At Little Acorns Day Nursery, our primary motivation is to guarantee the ongoing wellbeing, happiness and emotional nourishment of every child put into our care. Our expert childcare services fully cater to the developmental, emotional and educational needs of your little one – from baby daycare to our holiday club, we’ve got you covered. Contact us today to find out more about what we offer.