But I don't want to go to school!

D has been in school since she was 3 months old.  There was an accredited preschool attached to my old job.  Every morning we would walk her to her room, and then I would go downstairs to my office.  She knew I worked in the building and knew where my office was, but she never asked to see me.  When she was about 18 months old, she got separation anxiety.  She would be fine as we walked into the building, but as soon as we went to turn down her hallway, she would fall on the floor crying.  I would carry her into her room and hand her to the open arms of one of her teachers.  We were lucky, because this only lasted for two months.  Then, as suddenly as it started, it stopped.  She was happy to go to school once again.

This last spring, my husband and I decided to move D and L to a new daycare.  With me starting a new job, and not getting paid until the end of September, money is tight.  Our family is committed to living debt free (and have been since right before D was born!), and we knew that we couldn't afford for both girls to go to the preschool where D was.  We prayed about it a LOT, but in the end, we decided that the best thing for our family was a different daycare. 

The husband's school district has a staff only daycare.  The campus where our girls are has two advantages (other than finances).  First, it is 2 1/2 miles from the campus where my husband is.  Second, it is the only daycare that is part of an Early Childhood Center.  The only things on their campus is the daycare, state required pre-K for ESL and low socioeconomic families, and PPCD (early childhood special ed).

For the first week and a half, D was excited about her new school.  She woke up happy and couldn't wait to get to school.  Then Monday, it all changed.  She started crying, running away, and screaming "I don't want to go to my new school".  It is a lot of different things hitting our girl at the same time.  She has a new school, new teachers, new classmates, a new driver (Dad instead of Mom), a new route, no parent in the building, etc.  It can be hard on a child.  We know that in time, she will make friends and enjoy being at this new school.  We just hope that it is sooner rather than later.