3 Year Old in Preschool

Routine, routine, routine. Ask her teachers how she does once there? What do they do to change her bad funk? Maybe they do the same exact thing each time? They may already have a set specific routine (Like directing her to certain area of the room or a task or to go to Miss So & So (another teacher in the room). If so, this may be what she needs from you in the time leading up to it.

Most preschools, or even a "play based" daycare such as my own, follows a routine and schedule of some sort. This lessens anxiety in kids, so they know what to expect and in what order their day will mostly go. Many children need this to feel safe and secure in their place in this new adventure of their lives...to know where they fit and whats happening with it all.

I would try a specific routine with her in the time leading up to preschool?
Maybe just do the same thing in the car on the way there if that last bit is where she falters?do it exactly the same each day...."here we go.....stop for the stop sign.....wave to the kids waiting for the bus.....theres the library...., etc" Whatever is on your route that she knows, so there is an order. Then arriving at the parking lot is expected along the way, rather than like a bomb going off at the end.

I had a daycare client who had to do this for quite a while..and they had fun with it. They would go past the river, and in the winter the birds lined up along the ice along the edge...and the Mom would say "here comes the river, lets see if there are any birds so we can tell Nikki and our friends". He would come in the door saying "The birds were waiting at their bus stop on the ice all lined up!" He turned it into something to be excited to share with us on the short drive here. (His anxiety was a specific reason..Dad had just deployed to Iraq...little man was 2...and he didn't like Mom leaving his sight...afterall, Dad left and he didn't understand why...what might happen if Mom left?). It became the NEW routine.

Good Luck!

Try empathizing with sincere statements like, "I hear you, sweetie. You want to stay with me today. I LOVE being with you, and I wish we could do that, too."

Then, without in any way denying her feelings, gently switch the focus to the school: "Do you think your friend Lily will be there today? What do the two of you like to do together?" Or, "I wonder what your special project will be today. I sure did like the fall leaves picture you made yesterday – such glowing colors!" Give her some specific vision of something to look forward to, take her in, kiss her goodbye, and accept that she might cry and cling anyway.

Just keep empathizing thoroughly, until you see that you have connected with her feelings, and then redirecting her imagination. She'll get there.

I worked in a daycare center before I had my son so I have a ton of experience here. The best thing you can do for her is be consistent with the morning routine. Be just as up beat about the day as you want her to be and when it comes time to leave say goodbye ONCE and GO. You may not even realize that you are triggering her to cry in the morning by the way you act or the things you say. On the way talk about the friends she will see in school, what she will do and what you will do while you are apart. Very often kids are worried about what you are doing without them and that adds to their stress. Good luck!

I think she's getting used to the routine. She'll be OK. Stay upbeat and positive about her going as well. Some kids think they're not supposed to be happy about having fun without mom! Maybe she's O. of these deep thinkers. LOL

just keep it up, she'll get used to it, it's only been 3 months and she's got 3 years of a routine with you down...give her more time mom may take a while...will probably get better when she starts kindergarten

what REALLY helped my daughter is i always put an exciting expression on for her before and after..she never had issues, but she was in day care at 6 months going to a sitter of some kind at 3 months, so she was already pretty used to it

My son did the exact same thing this year. I would ask at school if anything has happened that they are aware of.........assuming it is a no, then I wouldn't worry. Most important is always talk positive about school and her friends, all the fun things she gets to do, friends she gets to play with......talk about how lucky she is, etc....So far so good with my son. If she cried the whole time after you left then that would be more concerning, but I think it is all normal. My son was like that for a couple of weeks, got teary and would look like he was going to cry and now all of a sudden, he gives me a hug and kiss and goes off with the kids.
I think she will be just fine! Just stay positive and don't play into her sadness, turn it into a positive.