3 year old indifferent/grumpy at nursery pick up

[Whereisyourblankie]

Hi

I wonder if anyone can offer thoughts or advice. My just turned 3 year old has been doing mornings at daycare since he was 20 months old. He has always enjoyed it and ran in without a second glance and always delighted to see me at pick up. For the last month or so he has been incredibly sullen on pick up, saying/repeating/verge of tears 'I dont want to home'. At the risk of sounding like a right old grumble-guts it's now getting a bit hurtful and a bit embarrassing to drag him out!

So as not to drip feed, he's just dropped his daytime nap in this time frame too and his behaviour has been a bit challenging and oppositional of late to say the least

I feel like I'm being a rubbish old mum at the moment, especially as he's being text book toddler hard work right now, and this is reluctance of his to come home is compounding it!

Anyone been through something similar??

TIA

Dd runs away and hides when I come to pick her up from nursery. One time I arrived a bit earlier than normal and she asked me to go away and come back after garden time had finished.

They're definitely tired and grumpy when they've dropped their nap. As long as your son is still enjoying nursery otherwise, its probably just that.

I bribe dd with snacks/trip to the shop etc. Or threaten to take one of her friends home instead :)

My nearly 3 yr old can be a bit like this at pick up. He's tired and at the moment a bit hot and bothered, and I think he finds the change of situation a hassle. So it's not that he doesn't want to come home, it's just interrupting him at that moment.

So try not to take it personally. Also, I find that verbally empathising/sympathising with my DS helps a bit too.

My 2 year old DS is the same. A couple of weeks ago I was a bit early to pick up and he was still eating his lunch. He cried. .

I just console myself with the thought that he must be really happy at nursery!

My sons the same, he's also stopped napping there (though stopped napping at home ages ago) but also he's started really playing with other children and noticing them around so he wants to stay with his friends as they are funnier than me

I think it is quite a normal phase. This too shall pass.

Totally understand how you're feeling. My DS, also 3, won't run into my arms when I turn up at nursery anymore, sometimes he's just too interested in what he's doing and I'm just an interruption! It hurts, but it'll pass (I hope!!!)