Reception - feels like we are the only ones finding it quite tough - are we?

[WomanwiththeYellowHat]

My DD1 started Reception this term. She is on full days and is a (quite grown up) May birthday. She was in preschool 5 mornings a week and was, according to her teacher, very bright and capable. She is a very verbal child, chatty and very empathetic. She has a tendency to react quite emotionally to things (ie launches into fake cryinng if she can';t keep up when walking etc) but I was kind of hoping this would wane with the influence of school. She has a sister 18mths younger who is, to put it mildly, quite sparky! They get on well, are very close and happily play together.

She also has a neighbour who started in the same school at the same time. I wasn't really worried about her starting school, as she has always adjusted well to change and been fairly robust.

INstead, the whole thing is just not what I was expecting. She seems to moan / cry more and the bedtimes have become absolute hell - screaming and making crazy demands (which DD2 then copies) so the whole thing goes on forever and I am desperately trying to get her to bed early to try and deal with the tiredness which I think is part of the problem.

They have started on their phonic sounds. SHe is some way off reading, or indeed really blending the sounds, partly as I thought it was best to be led by her and she was not really interested. He friend next door seems to have taken to school like a duck to water, but my DD just seems to be struggling and I just don't know how to help her. She doesn't really seem that engaged by learning anything new and is just so grumpy at home. I feel I have lost my lovely girl.

I work part time but do pretty much all the childcare, as my DH works very long hours. I feel really lost and just don't know how to help her. I'm not sure whether I should speak to her teacher, but don't want to make a fuss when we are only three weeks in, but I am just exhausted and just feel like we are the only ones who are struggling. Everyone else seems to be getting on fine so I just don't feel I can talk to any of my friends really.

I guess I just wanted to know if anyone else is in the same boat, or if anyone else was in the same boat last year but found that it got better? Just to give me a bit of hope that this will pass?

Sorry it was so long!

Glad it was better. Fingers crossed keeps being better!! Have a good weekend ;-))

I could have written your post OP! My DD2 is also May born and started FT in Sep. Her teacher tells me that she is getting on great at school but at home she's been awful especially at bed time. She faffs about, demands, sings , shouts and keeps her older sister up so its affecting her too. My DH says it's like having a baby who's overtired and can't settle without making a big fuss first. I will be trying some suggestions on here as I'm all out of ideas. Roll on half term!

I'm sensing a pattern here, it's MY DD you're all talking about! All the same issues, refusing to do any school books or words, complete madam and answering back. I'm gobsmacked at the change. Yes she is tired and I'm getting her into bed earlier but she's beginning to cope better and sitting up to play in her room after 7pm story. Which she used to do.
Are your DD Taurus as well as May born?!!! Stubborn according to their birthsign perhaps!
How funny we all have similar little girls.

My DD's R teacher suggested the story CD's.

DD just wouldn't settle at night and of course I was stressed - it's a school night you NEED to sleep, which is totally counterproductive.

She said their minds are working overtime processing everything new - shutting off is not easy.