Urgent advice needed on naughty 2 1/2 year old.

[toffee01]

Please, I need some advice/experience.
My little girl started pre school one morning a week 3 weeks ago and her first session was brilliant, no problem, no tears, she joined in according to the key worker. She looked so happy when I picked her up and said she was happy to go back.
Last week she cried after half an hour saying that her teeth were hurting (admitedly her molars are coming through and she also has a cold and cough) so I had to pick her up and take her home.
This week, she cried when I left, but settled quite quickly although teary every now and again, and cried when I picked her up (didn't seem happy although completely back to her normal bubbly self five seconds later).
I admit that she was very tired with a cold and cough again (and still teething).
On top of everything, she is very difficult at bed and nap times (even when absolutely exhausted), when she has always been really good and consistent.
She doesn't seem distressed at all with it, (quite the opposite she seems to think it's a big game) but I'm worried that her problems with sleep would be related to her started pre school and I feel extremely guilty about it.
Should I take her out or persevere?
Any similar experiences or advice would be greatly appreciated.
I'm at the end of my tether as she is really naughty as well, plus I'm 31 weeks pregnant and really tired!!!

Persevere! There are a lot of changes happening in her life right now, which explain the 'naughtiness'. Also things probably seem worse to you because you are heavily pregnant and so tired. Are you getting enough help and support from those around you? x

agree with chipbutty. Persevere and try to understand that she is dealing with so many things at the minute. She will settle down when it becomes part of her routine

Thanks a lot. Yeah my husband is being brilliant, taking over a lot and stuff, and my mil has her once a week (morning).
I will persevere I think, I've already paid for next week anyway.

Sorry, I've changed my nickname!

DS started pre-school two weeks ago and whilst he is happy to go and enjoys it, I've noticed that he's more tired all of the time and yet wierdly waking up earlier in the morning. Last week he was also struggling to get to sleep, taking an hour to settle to sleep at night rather than the usual 5 mins. Again...not complaining just restless.

So in conclusion I think it's a bit of over-stimulation which is resulting in him being over-tired which is resulting in him sleeping less. He has also been much quicker to cry when something doesn't go his way which must be tiredness too.

Think it's just an adjustment...hope this helps.

Your daughter's behaviour sounds quite normal for someone of her age, there are a lot of changes going on so she will be feeling a bit insecure (even though she is loving nursery!) and her more challenging behaviour (please don't call it naughty) might just be an attempt by her to find out where her new boundaries are and test the waters.

With the crying when you leave her, if she sees that this makes you stay longer or gets some kind of reaction she will keep doing it. The fact that she stops when you leave means she does enjoy it, she's just torn between being with her mummy and being at nursery! Don't worry about it too much or make a big deal out of it.

So good that you have lots of help and support around you, definately persevere, before you know it you will both be into the new routine and she will be settled in nicely.

Thank you so much for your replies, great help.
Robin3 I've definately noticed that she wakes up earlier as well and takes longer to settle.
She hasn't had a nap today, I knew she was exhausted but she didn't want to go, and has just fallen asleep this evening in about 5 min, but tried to play up a bit. Should I just stop the nap completely even if it means her being a little horror for the rest of the day?

I think I'm exaggerating when I'm saying she's naughty (although she did throw some fruit at me earlier, plastic fruit that is, which secretly made me laugh but I didn't show her that). I think she's naughty compared to her usual self iyswim!
She's definately behaving more like a little madam, which is funny in a way.

What I've done (and not sure it this is right) is try to have quiet afternoons. I let him play in his own world or watch a film he likes so he can rest. Again I try to give him food I know that he likes and try to give him dinner earlier so 5ish rather than 5.30 so that he's less tired and confrontational. He gets a snack on the way home in the car which revives him a bit as well.

Every day is different for the nap...some days he seems ok after the snack in the car and agrees to go straight to bed. Other days he doesn't settle and I haven't forced it.

Tiredness, hunger, thirst or too much sugar always result in DS becoming a prima donna so until the routine settles we've lowered our expectations of him on that front!

Have to say I'm loving the rubbish he tells us....nothing useful like what he did or ate just garbled kid highlights like 'Boys singing, she say shhh, hahaha!' So far he's learnt to pee standing up in the little urinal and he's actually taking responsibility for taking his shoes and coat off.

I too have noticed a change with my DD since she started pre-school just before Christmas. I was advised that two mornings per week are better than one as there is such a big gap between sessions otherwise, this does seem to help as she is never as bad about going to the second one.

Her naps are all over the place and if she sleeps too long during the day then we see her disturbed during the night or up really early. I also think that Christmas had a big effect on her as everything and everyone was busy busy busy.

Quiet afternoons now as she really cannot cope with much after pre-school. But she is so happy when I go to pick her up and she tells me she has had a good time which makes the guilt over tearful morning departures easier.

I don't really want to leave her for more than one morning a week though.
Plus it costs more money anyway.
But hopefully she'll be alright next time, I'm just gonna keep persevering and encouraging her. I've told her what a big girl she was for going to school and she said: "I cried"
and I said "yes but you still stayed and you only cried a little bit didn't you? So that makes you a big girl."
She was so happy. Bless her. Her cheeks were BRIGHT RED and hot today. Must be at the peak of her teething.