Hi I'm new on here but hoping somone may be able to give me some guidance.
DS is 2.4yrs. Started at a big nursery in July 07 for 1.5 days a week. That has been increased to 2 full days since Nov. Give you some background we moved in Sept so DS has also had a fair amount of disruption we are trying to account for too. DS is by nature quite clingy and demands Mum alot. He's an only child and hasn't had many children of his age to associate with because of where we lived.
DS has always screamed / cried to the point of being sick when DH or I leave him at nursery. We have put it down to a variety of reasons and have been firm, consistent and loving all bundled together. (My nerves are in shreds by 8am and I'm going to work!)
We had concerns about the number of different faces that were greeting him - sometimes we didn't know them in the 'room'; so what effect that has had on him, we aren't sure but guess it hasn't helped. We were also unhappy about things like not enough drink, older children being shouted at and sometimes it felt very commercialised. He has developed a good bond with his key carers and talks about them alot; although he tells me: "I cry - I want Mummy" This isn't prompted as I try to focus him on activities and the positive points to reinforce the better things.
He started to go in happily a few weeks ago and now has returned to the wailing that is difficult to manage.
So DH and I deceided to look for another nursery. Found one highly recommended. Very small. Children have almost free access to the gardens that are huge and rambling and it's a far cry from the one we've been used to. The staff are not so 'hands on' as the other (old) nursery and it's more like a nursery school.
DH and I are in turmoil. We have a place reserved at the 'new' N and have given in our notice for the old N.
Question being: is the behaviour DS is displaying seperation anxiety? and is a move to a new nursery going to upset him further? It isn't as flexible as the old one and only runs termtime, but I could cope with that.
I am really worried that a change of nursery and familiar people (regardless of how much I don't like a place) is likely to tip him over the edge OR it may be that he really is unhappy at the old place and the new one may be just the ticket.
So confused