DS is nearly three and has been going to nursery since he was about 7 months. To begin with he was fine (probably too young to know what was going on really) but he seems to gradually like going less and less. When we're getting ready to go in the morning he gets really upset. As soon as he wakes up he asks if its a nursery day, and if we say yes he gets into a right state, crying and shouting 'I don't want to go to nursery' over and over until its time to go! Have tried not mentioning it until we leave the house but he knows because we're all rushing to get ready for work, etc.
I've spoken to the staff and they assure me he's happy once he's there, they say he's upset when we drop him off but after 5-10 mins he's fine, and on the times I've turned up early to collect him he looks as though he's playing happily before he sees me.
It just seems strange that if he's ok when he's there why he seems so upset at the thought of going. Do you think its just toddler behaviour - they start playing with something at home and then don't want to stop to have to go out, or maybe he misses us? I'm worried that he doesn't like it but kind of puts on a brave face once he's there because he knows he's there for the day so might as well get on with it?
He does occasionally mention his friends there, but rarely tells us what he's done all day.
He only goes two days a week so maybe its not enough for him to get settled. We've enrolled him at a playgroup from Sept for two mornings a week as well as the two full days at nursery and I'm worried he'll then get really upset those days too. Or maybe it will do him good to get used to leaving us more.
Has anyone else had experience of this? The nursery staff have been really reassuring and I do trust what they say, they are really nice and seem to genuinely care about DS, but its heartbreaking going off to work after leaving him there sobbing.