Starting daycare as a toddler (yikes)

Ada started school this week (aka daycare)! Grandma is going to Florida for the whole month to visit Dan’s brother who is expecting their first baby in March. They just bought a house, so she’s going down to help them get all set up. Since she watches Ada 3 days a week it was time to look into daycare. It was just as well, we have been spoiled with 2 years of free childcare, and I really felt like it was time for Ada to start school in a more structured and educational environment, make more friends and of course pick up tons of germs!

She was so excited because her friends Abby & CJ go to this school. I don’t think she knew what it was entirely, but she was excited anyway!

The drop off went really well on the first day because I don’t think Ada understood that I would be leaving her there all day. The teachers said she was on and off with being happy and sad all day. She threw a couple fits throwing herself on the floor, which isn’t typical behavior for her and she wouldn’t really nap or eat much. All very normal for such a huge change. They warned me the second day would be worse dropping her off and it was. It was an all out kicking and screaming shit show trying to leave. They just pulled her off of me and basically kicked me out. I cried a little once I hit the car. When I came back to get her Miss Kim said she was like a different girl, she participated in everything, she napped, she ate all her lunch. She only had a hard time at the very end of the day when the other kids moms and dads were starting to pick up. Today, the drop off was still rough, she cried a lot but the kicking and screaming subsided. The end of the day report was great though, she had another great day playing and learning.

To reward her for finishing her first week I made her favorite dinner (spaghetti) and then we went to White Rabbit for some FroYo, which she loved because they had red Mickey Mouse sprinkles, which obviously is the best thing ever!

I’ll report in a couple weeks as to how the transition is going. I’ve been reading a lot about starting school at this age and most comments are very similar. Its a huge change for a kid at this age, I just tipped her world upside down, removing grandma completely and forcing her to stay with strangers all day long. After a  few weeks they start coming around, some kids take longer than others, but I am hoping that since she has her two friends Abby & CJ with her that she’ll get used to it quickly. Time will tell!