Any advice on how to settle my two in nursery?

[padboz]

I'm really really nervous about sending them there - they've been with the same childminder since they were tiny so its a major change but I have no choice. Its going to be long days - 8.30 - 6. My eldest (just 3) cries her eyes out whenever I take her to preschool (loves, loves loves it when shes settled down 2 minutes later) my youngest is a sensitive little thing that is already quite jumpy and assumes that she will be abandoned all the time since her sister started pre-school : If I say anything along the lines of 'lets go to the shop' to her siste she leaps to her feet instantly and says 'I want to come tooooooooo' with the beginnning of tears in her eyes assuming I will say no . Shes a melancholy sort that assumes all toys belong to somone else and refers to everything new, toys, books, treats generally as if it is automatically her sisters... if there are two sweets on offer she says 'DD1 has two sweets!' assuming neither are hers!?! etc etc

I think DD1 will kick up an enormous fuss when I leave but wipe the snot on her sleeve and get on with cavorting around the second she can't see me. I think DD2 will quietly and stoicly pine - this bothers me far far more.

Any ideas?

this is 2 days a week BTW

Will they be in the same room at Nursery?

Hi Bramshott

DD2 is on the cusp - shes 2. She can go in the tots room if she wants or DD1's room. We'll start her off in DD1's room and see how it goes.

That sounds good. It might be good for them to start together as they have been used to being together at the CM, but as they settle in, you may find that it is the making of DD2 and she can come out from under her big sisters shadow and make her own friends.

Particularly for your older one, I would try to explain when you'll come to pick her up by finding out the routine, and then saying, "you'll have tea, and then storytime, and then I'll come to get you" or whatever they do. FWIW I found with DD1 that she was no more phased by a 3 hour pre-school session than a long day at nursery - she cried a little when I left her, and was then fine and having fun. Do either of them have a favourite toy or comforter they can take with them?

DD2 is particularly attached to soft toys - almost obessessed with them. No one in particular but she sits quietly with one on her knee and says nice things to them ("don't worry teddy etc")- its lovely but makes me cry! I'll take one of her favorites.

Shes generally rather quietly sad in a cartoony kind of way snuffle