15 month old - drop off becoming hard

[Cluelessfirstimer]

15 month old DS. Goes to childminder during the week.
Has since 6 months - no choice unfortunately. I would have loved to have taken longer mat leave but the cost of staying alive and keeping a roof over our heads meant I couldn't.

Hes always been fine. He's so sociable and loves his days there. The last 3 weeks though he has burst into tears when being dropped off. Absolute heartbreaking tears. He's always fine at pick up and CM sends me updates during the day that he's fine but it's the same every morning.

Any tips/anything I can do to make it easier? Mostly, if I'm honest, because it's making me feel so guilty and sad every day. I've spoken to work and have cut my days to 4 days starting next week but I still feel I'm not doing the right thing/enough

Hi, we have the same issue at nursery drop off although mine is a bit older than yours. It's been that way for ages and nothing I've tried has changed it. The staff tell me is fine basically seconds after we leave. I try and make drop off as quick as possible so as not to draw it out. It is upsetting though. Perhaps your child has reached an age of being more aware you are going.

As long as he has a good relationship with the childminder, who is a good childminder, and you have proof he is generally happy there, then i would not worry too much.These phases happen but the main thing he is being soothed by someone he has a strong close attachment to, and that he is able to move on from it fairly quickly.

Try not to worry. My DS has phases where he’ll go in happily and phases where he’ll cry. He even does the same when he goes to my mum’s sometimes who I know for a fact he absolutely adores.

It’s not that they don’t like the place they’re going to, it’s just the transition that’s difficult for them. My DS also has been known to cry when I collect him, either because he wants to stay, or because he’s expecting DH not me.

I wish I knew. My DS hated drop off, and cried every morning at nursery until he started school. That was my life for 3 years - waving goodbye to either an hysterical sobbing child or a silently furious one. The guilt was immense.

He was ALWAYS fine immediately afterwards. The one day I forgot to put his coat on his peg and waled back about 12 seconds after I'd left - couldn't resist a peek through the door and there he was, sitting at the breakfast table with his friend, giggling about something. I never felt guilty again after that!!

We have phases of this with our toddler. Goes in happily for ages then goes though a few weeks of tears. He often gives the girls in his room hugs and blows them kisses so I think it’s safe to say he likes it there.