Tearful 4 year old DS at nursery

[cranberrymoon]

My lovely DS has been at nursery part time since he was ten months. He's now 4.2yo and has started becoming tearful at drop off and again around 5pm before I collect him at 5:15.
He's generally a confident boy who has lots of friends, is well behaved and chatty. I'm at home with his 16mo brother but he tells me he's not thinking about what we are up to but more that he's worried I'm not going to pick him up. I've never been late and he's rarely one of the last to leave.
Do we just wait for this to pass?

Why don't you try collecting him a bit earlier? Nursery until 5:15 is a very long day at that age, no matter how used to it they are and you are at home anyway so I don't see the issue

Unfortunately I'm going to be starting work soon and most likely won't be collecting him until 5:45pm so I'm not sure changing the routine is going to help.
I'm more concerned about this coming out of nowhere. Is it just a phase?

When mine was that age he was the same, upset at being left as well. I'd still suggest getting him early when you can for now or keep him off the odd day. Change is as good as a rest. Is he there every day?

It does get better though as they get older, mine is 5.5 and very confident and Happy in most situations. 4 is still so little

He's there 3 days and his teachers say he's super happy one there but once he thinks about me at the end of the day he gets sad. This has only come on in the last week but he was sad tonight as he didn't want me to leave him alone when he went to sleep. He's just got lots more emotional recently.