Thank you Nina, MobileMom, AnaSalwa and Elisa for your words of encouragement.
And the status of nursery for week 2? Still weak.
I guess from the day we took The Little One home, we knew she could cry. A far cry really from the day she was born! The NICU matron told us that she could not cry. She did not cry when she was hungry or otherwise. The first time when she was taken out of her incubator and brought to my room, we were overjoyed to hear her cry. And there was no stopping her thereafter.
And cried she did at Nursery. Apparently there was no way of distracting her. Occasionally when she was not crying she would be asking for "susu" or "umi." I had to join her in school again on Sunday. She was doing very well when I was in the room with her. She could even play by herself at a quiet corner while I played with other children. That didn't bothered her. She was happy as long as I was in the room.
The teachers kept asking me if she was still breastfed. As I had read the thoughts of other mothers like me, who continue to breastfeed after our child is 1 year old, its an uncomfortable topic with people who didn't do the same. Somehow non breast feeding moms feel that this is a character flaw.
I told them that she can survive without milk and she doesn't really need it. She would be quite happy with the juice if offered to her.
Yesterday they didn't call me and I thought perhaps its a good idea to pick her up at 11:30 instead of 12:15. I thought she was doing much better.
But apparently not. They said they tried all sorts of things to make her stop crying including putting her in a room all by herself. She was told that she would be taken out only if she stopped crying. Do threats and intimidation really work?
I understand the benefits of time out. But an anxious child being punished?
The school owner also suggested that perhaps she could come to nursery for 5 days a week instead of three. They thought that perhaps the 4 days break is a too long. I talked to my friend and she felt 3 days a week was long enough. Afterall The Little One is only 20 months. 5 days a week, 4 hours a day is a lot of time being away from Mummy she felt.
How do I feel about all this? I do want her to go to Nursery because I feel its important for her to know that she can have fun without mummy. And that even when mummy goes away, she does come back. And that being independent can be a good thing. Reasons why I decided to send her to Nursery in the first place.
But I don't want her to get all traumatized or anything.
Aside from prayers, I am also trying alternative therapy to calm her down. I tried giving her homeopathic remedy, first chamomilla and today pulsatilla. I even put two drops of Bach Rescue remedy. We'll see how it pans out today.
I know that things may have to get worse before it gets better. I just don't want to break her. I really hope she learns to have fun in school.
4 comments:
hi. my toddler started nursery recently too (at 20 months). we had a trial run for two weeks where i sent her everyday for a couple of hours each day. she was crying all the time initially but once she got familiar with the minders and the kids there, she became better. she still cries but less. she goes twice a week now.
Sunflora;
My third child, Akmal Syafiq, is already into his 23 months ... but it is almost impossible to send him to nursery or left him with "strangers".
Lucky you, at least your princess nak jugak to be left alone with teachers ...
I remember sending my niece to her play school. The first week she was anxious, she cried when we dropped her off, she almost leapt when she saw us coming to pick her up..
And I felt really bad thinking of her!
that homeopathic remedy thing sounds very interesting. do tell us more!
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