Yes, my 4 yr old son is going to preschool this year and I am sooo sad. I cherish my time at home with him. I am extremely lucky to be a stay-at-home mom. My baby dosen't have hardly any kids at all to play with which is mainly why I want to send him to preschool. He gets to play with my sister's son when we go to my mom's which is once a week because she lives about 40 miles away. He told me I was his best friend. I am tearing up just writing this. I guess I should also tell you that my DH and I waited for him for 8 LONG years. He is a miracle and a gift of God which is why we named him Matthew which means "gift of God"
He is very smart but he dosen't really know how to share being that he is an only child. My main concern is that he won't hardly let me out of his site. If I tell him i'm going out to feed the cats and he dosen't hear me tell him and he hears the storm door slam then he starts screaming and yelling "mommy" I'm no physcologist but I think what scared him and made him start reacting like this is about 1 year ago my DH had brought in a load of hay for our horses and he pulled up to the barn to unload. Well my son was in the back seat of my DH's dually when I looked and saw that my DH's truck was on fire and I started screaming at him to get my baby out and when he did then I made him stand way down next to the gate so I could help DH put the fire out. Thank God we did and we sold the truck the next week. How will I be able to walk away from him crying when I have to leave him at school? Do any of you mothers have any advice on how to prepare him for school? Please, Please help me with this. Any advice will be GREATLY appreciated!!!!!
You're not going to want to hear this, but......You have to be really strong for your self and definitely for your son.
By giving your son a kiss/hug, etc. (basically whatever he will allow at the school) and then a simple "see ya later" will show him that you believe in him and that you trust him. BUT, you must walk away and LEAVE!!!!!
I actually got the convenience of the room having a two-way mirror, so I could stand in the hall and watch without him knowing...and I couldn't believe how fine he was!
If your son cries, just be strong and don't "baby" him. Once he gets that reaction from you, he'll continue to try & get it...so start off strong and you'll get better & better from there.
It's very healthy for you & him to spend time apart. Soon, he'll just be running in that room without pausing to say bye.
Good Luck! And, I hope you have better luck with a preschool than I did! (I'm sorry if you didn't like what I said, but it does work. Your son will be just fine...it's you that won't be, lol!)
Sorry, I almost forgot....you could "prepare" him by doing simple things like telling him where you're going (like to check the mail or something ) and also telling him that you'll be right back.
Do something like this everyday...maybe start to make your absence a tad bit longer everyonce in a while.
This will get him used to the "i'm at school now, but I will see mommy in little while" mode.
IMHO..........I do wish you the best of luck.
Is it possible that his Daddy could take him to school the first few days? My younger son son sometimes cried when I dropped him at Daycare but with his Dad, it was not like that. Usually just a kiss and a "Bye Dad." This might make the transition a little easier on you both. He's going to pick up on your fears and worries and add them to his own. Dad probably won't be as emotional as you.
I agree with mmdd- If you take him, do not linger to "make sure he is alright." Even if he's crying, he will get over it a minute after you leave. It will be easier on you both. Try and get him excited about the new things he will learn, new playground, and friends!
I was home with my 2 year old (first son) and then had to start working again. I cried and worried about taking him to Daycare. We went one day to decide if we wanted to use a certain daycare (just to visit). When my son saw the other kids and all the toys, his face lit up and he ran into the room and didn't look back. I asked if he wanted to stay and he said "yeah!" He was so excited!
My second son is starting Pre-K this Fall too. It is so much easier with the second kid because you know how much fun they are going to have and how much they will mature. It's going to be GREAT!!
Go to the library for some books about starting school like this one: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0448425009/?tag=cakecentral-20
Let him walk around at the new school (outside if that's all you can do). Don't wear out the new playground though! Drive by the school often and point it out as "his" school.
You should definitely practice with him. Drop him off to play at a friend/relative for a while to practice saying bye. It will also help him to be without you so that he knows he will be alright.
Good Luck!
also to build separation time ...start giving him outside chores and tasks to do...
let him feed the cats (let him get bag, scoop and measure food, etc.)
run messages to dad at the barn
go find --?-- and bring it back
go get the mail.
bring me back ---?--- from the garden (tomatoes, etc. easy stuff)
helps build time and responsibility
I sent my son to 3-year-old preschool last year. It was the hardest thing in the world to do! I understand your wanting to hold on to him as long as you can. Our preschool teacher was a very easy going but firm person. Her idea on this was--It is ok for the child to be upset and she could turn them around to being a good experience IF the child learned to lean on HER. This ment a 10 minute settling in period then a quick kiss and out the door you go mom. I to had the benifit of a one way mirror and could stay as long as I wanted. The kids had a rough week then one by one they adjusted. By the end of the month, all of them were shoving us out of the room. It was a great year!
I feel your pain but don't know what to tell you. I hated sending my oldest to kindergarten and just wanted to cry, he was shoving me out the door.
My youngest is going to be harder to deal with I think, he's mommy's boy but he has 2 years until kindergarten.
If the preschool doesn't work out maybe you could find a story hour or something in your area, that's what I take my 3 year old to.
I know what you mean. I personnaly never experienced that kind of situation but I have friends that did. And the worst thing to do is give in. I mean, like the others said: leave and don't turn your back! it's hard but you have to do it. If you give in, he'll think he's winning and then he'll always cry when you want to do something. I've seen many moms let the child at the daycare and when they cried, just picked them up and leave with them saying he's not ready. And the child had a grin on his face saying: I won!! Of course we love them! they know it. We know it's important for them to socialize(sp?), when they go to school, it's harder when they didn't socialize before. This year my oldest gets to highschool. It's a jungle there!!! i'm afraid but he's excited. So I hide my fears to him because I know I'm over reacting. I just take deep breathes and try to relax. I say try! I hope I wasn't too hard with my words. Sometimes being a parent is hard. We have to deal with our feelings, their feelings, what is better for them, sometimes it's really overwhelming (sp?) My mom overprotected me and I have difficulties still today. so I don't want this for my kids, it's hard really hard!! hope everything goes well for your son, I'm sure he'll have fun, bringing you back some art work, that will cover your entire fridge!!! (My dd puts them on the walls now 
), noodle necklaces, and cards. it's hard but it's worth it!!! big hugs to you (((((((()))))))))))
Thank you all so much for your advice and support. I keep telling myself that my son needs preschool not only for the learning but for the social interaction with other kids as well. It's just so dang hard not to be selfish and keep him with me another year but I am not going to do that. As far as letting him spend time with other people, that's almost impossible because my DH doesn't have much of an extended family. His sister lives out of town, all my family live out of town, and everybody else works during the day so it's really hard to find a sitter at all. My MIL is retiring this Aug. but by then school will already be started. I know we will get through this and I am not the only mom who starts crying 3 months before school actually begins and I won't be the last. God blessed me by bringing him into my life and I know he will bless me with the strength to give him wings to fly on his own. Again, I appreciate each and every one of you for your advice.
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