Settling in issues

[AKM89]

Hi all - feeling at a bit of a loss and wondered if anyone had any advice / similar experiences. My little boy started nursery about a month ago, just after his first birthday. He’s attending full time. When he started he seemed to settle in well - was happy, and quickly got used to being dropped off there, though he didn’t nap very well. However, the week before last he got a bad ear and throat infection. I took off most of the week to look after him, and since then nursery has been a total nightmare. Last week was increasingly bad for him with drop offs and being upset during the day until Friday when I got a message from the nursery at 11ish saying he’d been “screaming” since drop off at 7:30, and they suggested it would be best if I came to get him. He was happy with me over the weekend but has just been hysterical at drop off. I don’t really know what to do - I hate seeing my little boy so upset, but taking him out of childcare isn’t really an option. I will be considering other childcare options but equally it feels a bit early days for that. I’m just at a loss really.

No advice but tons of sympathy. We are in a very similar position as my DD is struggling to settle at nursery. She won’t eat or sleep there and she is there full time so it will be essential. at the moment her key worker is just advising that we do shorter days till she settles but I won’t lie it’s heartbreaking knowing she’s sad all day and I don’t see an end at the moment

@Scarftown I know it really heartbreaking isn’t it? So sorry to hear your DD is also struggling. I find it so tough to concentrate on anything else knowing he is so miserable. Yes and you’re right - not seeing how it might resolve is so challenging. How long has your DD been there so far? Thank goodness for WFH which makes doing shorter days a bit more manageable.

We are only a couple of weeks into it. Like you say WFH has been great as it means I can collect her early and drop off later so when she doesn’t sleep and eat it doesn’t have huge knock on effects for us. She clung to my clothes today. It’s heartbreaking

This sounds super tough. Poor little mite.
My boy (now 21mo) would scream the place down on drop off and pick up for about 5 months. After the first two or three weeks they said he settled quickly after I'd gone and was ok throughout the day.
He has a comforter from home that he took in and clung to for the first month and they slowly started to put it in the basket as it was stopping him from playing/enjoying activities.
Sleep wasn't great either, they work around a 1 nap day at nursery and he really needed 2 until about 16mo. I'd often give him a quick 15min nap at home at 9am then drop him off which eats into the work day.
Since he is comfortably on one nap he has really come out of his shell and I'd say he is really his boisterous self at nursery now. I think he was pretty quiet for a while.

I'm pregnant with our second and depending on their personality I think ill be looking at a childminder from age 1-2 as it's probably a bit more homely, routine to suit and I think my boy would have done better with one or two steady carers. Although he has a key worker they work the day in two shifts and his first key worker has already shifted rooms within the nursery.