Hi, my daughter (who turned 3 2 weeks ago) is struggling at her pre-school. She has been at this nursery since she was 18 months (previously baby room & then toddler room. Now in pre-school room). She initially struggled very hard to settle but then was ok for a few months. I realized 5 days full-time was too much for her so changed to 3 day.
She is generally a shy child (for lack of a better word). She struggles with new people and our friends whom we don't meet very often, when we go to a park she observes a lot more than she plays, if there is even one other child around she would refuse to play on the slide. We don't force her for anything. She's comfortable around people & kids she knows.
She's been on & off at this nursery. On some days she would walk just straight in. But recently every morning has been a struggle. She cries a lot & even at the door there she cries, gets emotional, asks me or my husband to take her back home. She refuses to enter. She has formed a connection with staff members but not enough to go there. She goes there unhappily because I think she knows we have to work during the day.
We tried everything - play in the morning, no play in the morning, I drop her off, my husband drops her off, make the journey interesting, boring. Nothing seems to work.
She is a good communicator but is not able to say why she doesn't like there. Once she said she is very tired there, then once she said she gets bored, once she said she just likes at home & wants to be with us.
I am not sure what to do. Have you been through anything similar?
Should I take her out of the nursery & keep her at home, try childminder, nanny, forest/outdoor nursery? I am not sure if trial & error will be good at this age i.e. try different things & see what she likes. It may be too much of a change for her.
We don't have any grand-parents help.