Question
So, my two-year-old got moved to another class at his preschool. And it has been very dramatic. He will cling to me when we start walking in, and then gets very nervous and will start crying (more like bawling) asking me to take him home. In the car, on the way, I tell him his routine at school, and when he will get picked up. But I don't think he listens. I'm sure he will eventually get over it, I just want to know if there is anything I can do to ease the process. (Oh and once I get in the car I cry too #superdramatic #guilty.
Answer
Whenever a little one goes through a transition we have to give them time but also be observant and ask the right questions. For the next 45 days he will be adjusting to his new surroundings. At home sit with him and draw a transition book. This will take several sittings since he may not be able to get past a page, but once he is done with drawing, continue to tell the story to him. Each page should tell the story in a simple way of being in his old classroom and now being in a new one. For example, on the first page draw stick figures of him being with his old teacher. On the next page draw how he felt with her, safe, happy, excited. On the third page draw him in his new classroom with his new teacher, and then on the fourth page draw that he is scared, nervous, missing his old classroom. On the final pages predict that he will get used to playing with new friends and that his teacher is safe, predicting how he will feel. Read this with him nightly until you see the shift.
At school ask the teacher to let you hand him off to her. He needs to be able to transfer to his "new" secure base. As soon as you can ask her how long it takes for him to settle down. Ask her how she helps him settle down. Ask her how is he playing and who is he playing with. Ask her if he is the youngest in the classroom and how she sees him handling himself with the older students. Finally, ask how often she is checking in with him throughout the day since he is "new' in her classroom, and how she is noticing that he is checking in with her. See how her answers feel and see if you hear her describing your son.