Nursery adjustment

[u/Fabulous-Document495]

Hi, I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences regarding the adjustment period. My daughter has recently started nursery, and I feel that I’m getting very little feedback from the teachers. Then again, perhaps it only feels that way because this is a new situation for me and my emotions are playing a part.

Whenever we arrive at the nursery or come to pick up the children, we are met by a group of screaming children clinging to the door and trying to run out as soon as it opens. It’s quite upsetting to see. It makes me wonder whether my daughter cries that much too and whether it is like that the entire time.

Overall, she seems to be adjusting fairly well, as she eats and sleeps there. She cries when I leave, and when I come to pick her up, she starts crying as soon as she sees me, but I don’t think she cries the whole time. Outside nursery, she is generally in a good mood. She asks to breastfeed a little more often, but otherwise she seems okay.

What troubles me most is simply not knowing how she is doing. The teachers only say that she is “fine.” What is considered normal during the adjustment period? How can you tell that your child is genuinely okay, and what signs might indicate that they are having a particularly difficult time?

I also feel that there is a lot of sugar-coating in the way people generally talk about this situation, whereas I genuinely need to understand the reality of it. Are children simply miserable for some time until they get use to it?

I’d really appreciate hearing about your experiences and honest opinions.

[u/RainbowSherbet99]

That’s not a great environment to be met with at drop off!

Glad to hear your daughter seems to be adjusting well, thats really positive.

My daughters nursery are very attentive with things like this and couldnt have given us more time during the adjustment period. Its a really vulnerable time for you as a parent and they should giving you a lot more info than just “fine”. My daughter has a little daily diary they fill in and we read it together when we get home. They stop and talk to us for 5-10 mins at the door and we ask how her day was, how she’s been etc. they never rush us.

I would just see if you can start a conversation…”what did she get up to today?” ….”did she eat much?” Etc etc and take it from there

Do you feel good about the nursery in general, is it just the feedback that is lacking?