daycare days

It has been sad mornings for me when I heard them said "I don't want to go to [daycare] ...!"
Is this normal for part time daycare kids (2 days a week)?
They have been going to daycare since they were 4 month olds! They are used to all of the kids/teachers in the class for more than 8 months!
I had to either bribe them (1 animal cracker or their flavor of the day ... ) and/or tell them that they would have to stay home alone as I have to go etc... which I feel "being a very mean mom" for saying that to get them going!
We don't leave super early either : at least 8am!

They seems fine when I watch them thru the cameras at school, and the activities and toys at school is much more variety than ours at home. We talked about their school friends/teachers etc... at home positively too. The thing I agree that they donot have as individual attention in school as they have at home due to the normal class/teachers ratio.

Please tell me that this [sad] phase would pass fast, if it is a phase!

 

Yes, it is phase and yes it will pass. There will also be some days when arrive to pick them up and they tell you "I don't want to go home, I want to stay!"

Make sure nothing has changed (favorite friend, toy, or teacher not there anymore, change in teachers, etc.). If something has changed, I would talk that over first.

Second, if nothing has changed, I recommend that you keep the converstations matter of fact and reinforce that although you know that they would like to stay home, today is the day they go to school. I also recommend promising something they can look forward to such as "Today is the day we go to school. On the weekend, you can stay home and we will [watch a movie together, read a book together, play a game, etc....]." I would then suggest you swiftly change the topic (i.e. "What do you want to wear today, the green shirt or the red?")

Normally, I agree with bribing but in this case, I would not recommend it unless you are prepared to give them a cookie every time they go to school. Just keep putting forth the idea that the normal schedule is to go to school on this day.

 

Yes, mine has been in daycare since September and he never wants to be dropped off. But then when I go to pick him up if he's on the playground he doesn't want to come home with me either.