My dd has been with a childminder for 4 days a week until recently. After she turned 2 I thought it might be time to start at some kind of group care so found a lovely nursery locally. It seemed ideal to me because there are only 7 children and so it felt intimate and warm.
She only goes for 2 days a week and still goes to the CM for the other 2 days but seems to be getting really anxious and stressed about nursery. The first week she was fine but the subsequent weeks she has cried loads and apparently cries throughout the day too saying 'I want my mummy!' etc. She was always really good at the CM so she is used to being separated from us - I wonder whether a nursery is too much for her at her age.
She talks about it when she is not there saying 'I not go nursery again' 'I not like nursery' etc. She even cries when I talk about nursery - she dissolves if I talk about one of the carers.
In the morning before breakfast I can see her fighting the tears - she does seem to be trying to be brave - she says 'I not cry. I go nursery. I big girl. I not cry' but then her face reddens and she starts to as if she can't fight it any more.
It is heartbreaking for her dad when he drops her off, and when I pick her up she runs at me and bursts into tears saying 'Daddy go work. I lost daddy. Daddy gone'.
Have I sent her too early? I don't want to traumatise the poor thing.
I would expect a bit of crying at drop off, but not on the way home in the car/when having dinner/in the bath!
I don't want to scar her for life if she's not ready - I thought she'd enjoy it!