What a disaster!

[Caffeineismydrug]

Just visited a nursery with a view to sending my DS (3yrs, being assessed for ASD) in August. It went really well. DS was quite interested in what all the other children were doing and wanted to join in but didn't like it if I left the room. Staff were lovely, tried to get him to join in. Nursery seemed really good.

All great until it was time to leave and he threw the most huge tantrum at the top of the stairs because he didn't want to leave. Refused to take my hand, refused to walk. I was carrying DD (10 months) so tried to pick him up with my other arm. Then the headteacher took him from me, with him still kicking and screaming, and she carried him down to the door, where he continued his tantrum in front of all the parents who were arriving to pick up their children...

I know they deal with kids and probably see it all the time, but I just wanted the ground to open up and swallow me!

Hugs for the embarrassment but Id get used to it if I were you lol .... it will happen, he wanted to stay and nasty mummy was dragging him away lol.

When I first put Starling into nursery, the first two days I took him home it took me a minimum of about 45 minutes to calm him down and he was screaming and crying and kicking!!

I remember one day seeing a mum roll her eyes at me as she brought her son into nursery wearing pants on the top of his head .... we've all been there haha

Things will settle down Im sure once he starts going regularly and realises that he will be going back ...hugs again :D

Star xx

Bless your heart. Don't worry about it, they see it all the time and (said gently) you might have to get used to it for a while. My ds is five, under assessment at the mo. He used to throw a big strop at home time every day at nursery and then foundation year at school. I am actually quite self conscious and like to blend into the background, so I found this totally mortifying but eventually I got used to it. The good news is he doesn't do it so much now (five and a half) and getting from classroom to car now takes five minutes whereas it could take between 30 and 50 minutes every day from strops, distractions, running off at random, you name it really. On the bright side, he liked it there and not wanting to leave is probably a good sign (and not a reflection on you, but you know that already :-) )

My ds4 is not but when he was at preschool he went through a phase of doing this at every pick up!

They have seen it all before and most parents should be sympathetic/understanding :)

Was reading this and actually thinking what a success it was - he obviously liked the nursery, wasn't overwhelmed and took an interest in the other children.
With regards to leaving I clearly remember going to nursery on my first day and screaming and crying because I wanted to stay - sat myself down at a table and refused to move. In the end they had to give me a doll to take home so I knew I was coming back! My dm was mortified and still talks about it. I was nt but I will concede to being a slightly deranged adult .
The other side of the coin could have been he screamed in the too refused to enter the nursery. So maybe in the future try and give him a time table that he will be going and playing and when it's home time - staff could give him little warnings that it's nearly home time. Once he's in the routine he'll settle down

Thanks for your replies. Now that we're home, had lunch, and the DC are asleep, things look a lot more positive.

He liked it so much that he didn't want to leave and I liked it too so it might be the nursery for us. I also can say, for the first time, that I think he'd benefit from nursery now. I've never thought this before, especially as he has a language delay and wasn't good at asking for things.

We were there at 11am and he was getting hungry, which never helps. I guess that it's better he was crying because he doesn't want to leave, rather than crying because he doesn't want to go! And, yes, I think I might need to toughen up a bit!

Hi frizzcat. Just read your post. Yes, your totally right, and the more I think about it, the more I think he actually interacted quite well with the other children. I guess from his point of view, I took him to this really interesting, fun place with loads of fun stuff to explore, I let him look around and then I made him leave! Bad mummy!

Unfortunately he won't get a place until August but that gives us a few more months to work on his language and communication skills some more, and hopefully get him into big boy pants (but that's a whole other thread!).

yes I'll look forward to those threads