Transitioning Success!

[apples and bananas]

I just had to share my good news story with everyone.

I have a new little one transitioning in. Her brother and her are coming off of mat leave.

Week 1 - 1 half day. Cries the entire time! Wouldn't eat, crawled away from me.
Week 2 - 1 half day. I broke down and put her to bed half way through the morning. I just couldn't take the crying any more. Lost 2 soothers.
Week 3 - 1 full day - cried for the first 10 minutes then not again until the front door opened (trigger) and wouldn't stop until nap. Ate better, but wouldn't take her formula at all!
Week 4 (today) - 1 full day. Cried for 10 minutes. Played wonderfully until she got frustrated with a toy. Fixed that problem and kept playing wonderfully! Ate snack like she's never seen food before. Let me put sunscreen on her! And get this! Took her bottle like normal. I think she's even starting to like me.

So, there is successful transitioning! There is light at the end of the tunnel.

She starts full time on Monday. Wish me luck that we keep going in this direction.

[mimi]

She sounds like she is transitioning really well. Keep doing what you are doing as it sounds like she now is seeing you as the person who will take care of her needs.

[gravy_train]

Good for you!
My little one is transitioning wonderfully too! Thanks for your supposed when I was ready to pack it in!!

[Sassygirl]

Thats great!!!
I just let one go after 4 weeks and basically no improvement. Wouldn't feed herself, wouldn't play with the other kids, hated the stroller, hated the highchair unless I was feeding her, crawled and followed me clinging to me. I couldn't take the kids into the backyard as it was a safety issue. All my kiddos are climbers and because she didn;t know how to play and screamed when I put her down I wasn't able to properly take care of the other kids outside. The door was a trigger for crying too. I had 2 parents ask and seem concerned about her crying. She was only with me3 days a week but for the first 2 we did 2 weeks full time cold turkey and it didn't help much.
Had to let her go. Poor thing spent the bulk of her time here away in the playpen. Wasn't benefiting from daycare.

[apples and bananas]

I have to see some improvement each day to keep me going. Even if it's just a small thing... 10 min of no crying, not crawling to the door today, ate a few pieces... something! And I have never had someone cling to me.

I have a bit of a different approach I think. I spend the first few days sitting on the playroom floor with the kids, but I don't really force the interaction. I just let them move around on their own. If they decide they want to sit at the front door and cry for 2 hours then I let them. They eventually stop and they learn much quicker that crying doesn't get them the desired response around here.

Did I mention this new little one sleeps for 3 hours too? Not a tear when she goes in her crib. Woo Hoo! Somebody pinch me!

[buzygirl]

That's awesome. I transition the same way.

[playfelt]

Also did you notice how much faster she got with the program as soon as you started full days - no options welcome to your new reality approach. Part days are rough on all of us and are totally for weaning the parent not for the child's sake.

Glad things are going smoother each day. Transition is no fun. My next one will be November. Only saving grace is that it is the cousin of a child already in care who is very outgoing and funny and hoping cousin follows suit or at least latches on to him because she knows him and it goes smoothly.