My son has been at the same home daycare since he was born. We recently had to switch home daycares and he is having a terrible time adjusting. He cries and screams when we drop him off. How long will it take for him to adjust? What can we do to help him out? He's 2 1/2 years old. He asks to sit in time out, go to work with Mommy, or to the store to try to get out of it. This is his first week.
You wonder how long it will take him to adjust - well I wonder how long it might take the people at daycare to adjust to his needs. Find out what it is about that place that makes him so unhappy? Have they not figured out yet how to make a little boy of two feel welcome and comfortable? I guess not. Find another daycare, or a friendly neighbour or relative who will treat him better.
If he wants to go to the store - why should he not? You have just switched daycares; do it again, and next time let him help you choose where he will be spending such a large part of his day. The best place for a child of this age is with his own parents, in his own home.
Having said all that, I suppose you are still going to try to make him "adjust" to the daycare of your choice, and to please stop screaming when you leave him there. If you decide to persist in this, take along some of his favourite toys so he will at least be surrounded by "friends" while he is sitting in "time out". You should also befriend one of the other mothers and have your son and her child play together this weekend so your son will have a special friend next time he goes to daycare.
Is there any way you could take him to work with you? If not, invite one or two of the other daycare children over to your house for supper, right away, so your son will not be among strangers.
I hope you can work this out because I sure hate to think of that poor little boy being so unhappy at such an early age.
Truly yours,
GG