Drop-offs have been hard this week
04/23/08 01:38 Filed in: Family &
Friends
I don't know exactly why, but my little guy has been
having a hard time being dropped off at daycare this
week. He's usually pretty good about finding toys to
play with, or hanging out with one of his teachers.
But this week, he's been very attached in the
mornings, particularly to me (my husband and I have
been dropping the boys off together). I wonder if
it's because I've been spending a lot more time with
him (now that I am done with my rotations) and he's
just getting used to that. That would be tough, since
I'll be starting intern year in less than two months,
and most likely won't be dropping them off on most
days.
Whenever my kids are sad when I drop them off, I obviously feel pretty crummy. As a parent, it's heartbreaking to leave your child when they are crying. My husband is much more practical about it than I am, and I am always tempted to go back in and hang out some more, but I know in the long run it probably would do more harm than good. I usually end up waiting in the hallway, listening to see if he stopped crying (usually within a minute). Luckily, it's not that common, and nearly nonexistent with my preschooler - all he needs is a few minutes to get situated and then a hug and a kiss (just like at bedtime). This morning, another mom was walking by as I stepped out into the hallway of my son's class and took a deep breath (he was crying mommy, mommy in the background) and she gave me a sympathetic look and said That must be the hardest thing for you.
It pretty much is the worst.
If there could be anything positive that I could draw from the experience, it is that as I walk out of the daycare, I'm super-motivated to be as efficient and focused as possible during the day, so that I can pick up my children as soon as I can and devote 100% of my attention to them afterwards. I'm usually thinking If I'm going to have to make them cry, this better be the most productive day ever, dammit! I'm pretty sure they aren't permanently traumatized by the experience (in general, they both love being at "school" and often don't want to leave), but that still doesn't help the mommy guilt. Sigh.
Whenever my kids are sad when I drop them off, I obviously feel pretty crummy. As a parent, it's heartbreaking to leave your child when they are crying. My husband is much more practical about it than I am, and I am always tempted to go back in and hang out some more, but I know in the long run it probably would do more harm than good. I usually end up waiting in the hallway, listening to see if he stopped crying (usually within a minute). Luckily, it's not that common, and nearly nonexistent with my preschooler - all he needs is a few minutes to get situated and then a hug and a kiss (just like at bedtime). This morning, another mom was walking by as I stepped out into the hallway of my son's class and took a deep breath (he was crying mommy, mommy in the background) and she gave me a sympathetic look and said That must be the hardest thing for you.
It pretty much is the worst.
If there could be anything positive that I could draw from the experience, it is that as I walk out of the daycare, I'm super-motivated to be as efficient and focused as possible during the day, so that I can pick up my children as soon as I can and devote 100% of my attention to them afterwards. I'm usually thinking If I'm going to have to make them cry, this better be the most productive day ever, dammit! I'm pretty sure they aren't permanently traumatized by the experience (in general, they both love being at "school" and often don't want to leave), but that still doesn't help the mommy guilt. Sigh.
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