Toddler group

[onetwo123]

Hi

I have an 18 month old and I've just started going to a toddler group. Before that, she just saw relatives and my partner, no toddlers.

We have gone three times and it seems she just hates it. She cries nearly the whole time and when she realises we're leaving at the end, she gets excited.

I try to get her to play with toys but she just pushes them away and wants to sit on my lap.

Has anyone else experienced this? Any tips? Should I just not go with her? Any advice appreciated.

One thing g I found with my DS was getting their early so the room was quieter and there were fewer children.

I'd still take her but let her sit on your lap until she's ready to explore.

Maybe take her for shorter times to start with. Go every week so it gets more familiar to her and just stay for 30mins to start with and build up? Are you anxious or anything about it as she may be picking up on vibes if you are. Hopefully she'll love it soon.

Thanks for the advice. Even though she cries, I think it is building her confidence overall. She's getting more confident with other things since I have been taking her to the group..

Definitely keep going but I'd let her sit on your lap and don't force it as I think you'll just undermine her. My first hated group things as an under 3, she just wanted to hold my hand or have me right there the whole time. Even now she's at the shyer end of the scale but that's just how she is - it's not necessarily a bad thing.

Yeah I think I made the mistake of making her join in when she didn't want to a couple of times and that made her more defiant.
I'll just go and let her do things in her own time