Oh, it's so tough, I know. I stayed home with my daughter for 6-7 months before putting her in 2 different home daycares over the next 1.5 years. She loved both of them, but at 2 yrs., her home care stopped and I had to put her in a daycare center. We left her crying many mornings those first 2 weeks. I'll never forget the look in her eyes one morning when she layed on the floor with her blanket looking up at me with tears in her eyes. She was trying to be so strong. She's now 3 and although I still feel guilty when I think about that look she gave me that one morning, so much of who she is, is a direct result of her routine at daycare and the other children she plays with. She's such a sweetheart! She loves her "school" and looks forward to it every day. You are fortunate that you only have to leave her 6 hours/day. I'm also 35 and have an 8 month old son as well who goes to the same daycare. I'm nervous about him going through the same separation anxiety when he reaches that age, but having been through it once before, I know it will work out and my husband and I will just cry ourselves to work for a few weeks. I did call the daycare center several times each day. They welcomed it (as all daycares should) and would give me a report on what my daughter was doing, which helped greatly. You're not alone in this!
