DS crying when i leave him at nursery

[tostaky]

I know all kids do that but do you ever think that it might be because there is a problem at the nursery?
You hear so many horror stories about paedophils etc... and the staff has a very high turnover rate too, you know, even if they are CRB checked, it doesnt guarantee anything...

Ds is 16 months and he was fine up until we came back from xmas hols and since then he has been crying and has been unsettle a lot at nursery.
Nothing has changed at home and he is the same little boy with us.
when i left him this morning (usually DP drop him) it broke my heart to see him cry and to see his look "mummy, dont leave me with these people"...
It doesnt help that i dont know the staff. i am just worried that maybe he isnt treated well (ofsted report is so old and it is no longer the same staff anyway)
I am worrying too much?
Rationally, i dont think he is being sexually abused and he hasnt got bruises/marks on his body either. he is eating well and sleeping well too and when i pick him up (not very often cuz DP does most of it) he is always happily playing with other kids.
He does cry more than the other kids when i leave him though... and the look he gives me.. i nearly cried myself when i got back in the car...
Is that normal or am i being unreasonable?

My DS did this too at about the same age. The nursery staff were very kind and would show me photos they had taken of him playing happily throughout the day - and he was always happy and contented when I came to collect him.
I think it's a stage kids go through at around this age if they are gong to nursery etc. If he is happy at home and happy at least some of the time at nursery it is very unlikely that nursery staff are mistreating him, remember that nuts and abusers are rare in childcare.

I have had this on and off with both my boys who've been fully institutionalised (4 long days a week) since 7 months . They go through phases of crying for a week or so when I drop them and then they'll be fine for a couple of weeks. My older one (3 1/2) had got a lot better but the other day he just lost it when I left him and the nursery staff were trying to pull him off me - came completely out the blue. Helpfully the nursery manager said something along the lines of 'I don't know how you can leave him when he's like this - you're much tougher than me' - err thanks - I have no choice cos I have to go to work as I have a mortgage to pay .

I don't think the way you're feeling is irrational - it's a crap position we're in as working mums - I think it is probably a phase. If he was fine and happy before xmas you can probably rationalise that it's not really the nursery that's the issue but more his stage of development which is normal.

My little one is the same age as yours. He started day care in Jan whilst I work part-time. And every morning he cries when we enter the room, snuggles into me as I hand him to his nursery nurse.

He stops crying after 5 mins and never cries again for the rest of the time.

Some days like today I want to cry too. It's been me and him for ages and I am feeling seperation anxiety so he must be.

Don't worry too much. Talk to the staff, phone up an hour later to hear that he's happy. He'll be fine - they just know it tugs on our heartstrings.

i think i am over-sensitive. I have asked DP to always drop DS at nursery from now on and i will pick him up... i think that will be easier for both DS and me...

I think it's pretty normal. My DS was 15 months when we hit an Xmas break and took a good couple of months to settle back in last year.
This Xmas he is a year older and was happy to go back.
it is truly horrible though - walking out trying not to look back hearing the screaming...