Like Duck to Water, thats how I have taken to life :). This blog is the saga of love and adventures of a small duck in a large water body called LIFE....

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Monday, June 08, 2009

The separation anxiety..


Today, for the first time in her life and mine, I left Snugli in a day-care (the service provided by YMCA). Yes, it was only for an hour. Yes, I would be in the same building as she was. No, it still didn't mean I was comfortable with the whole thing. I was thinking for the whole time that we were taking her there that she had no clue what was coming. I expected the worse, but it was very smooth, a lot smoother than I imagined the whole experience to be. As soon as I went to the facilities, I completed the initial formalities (she was hovering around me rather than run to the toys there), I said bye and closed the door. She came running to the door, peered at me through the glass and cried her head off, all the while looking at me with accusing eyes. I felt really bad, but made an effort and walked away.

My class trainer hadn't arrived yet, so just 2 minutes later, I walked back to the center to see if she was okay. There was no crying sound, which was good. I slowly peeked in only to see that she was holding a stuffed toy and seemed to have forgotten all about me. Felt bad again. For the first time, I knew what they mean by separation anxiety, only the child wasn't feeling it, but I, as a parent was struggling with it. One part of me says its too early, but the other says that she has to start to be with other kids and enjoy playing with them (inturn if not stop, atleast reduce being so totally dependent on me). One part of me was really proud of her for being so brave and the other was somehow hurt. Well, it certainly compensated when she ran and hugged me as soon as she saw me when I went to pick her up. To summarize, I'm still reeling..

Update: Looks like I spoke much too soon. The above was yesterday's story. Today when I dropped her off, Snugli cried for 15 min continuously until the caregivers came and called me. I stayed with her another 15 min, but she clung to me most of the time and started to cry whenever I tried to let her go. Now I don't know what to think..

4 Comments:


Unknown retorted...

oops...:-(..my daughter cries when I leave for work in the morning.she is 1 yr old...I can imagine...!

But friends tell me that after a few days kids get adjusted to the daycare and they start enjoying the process...

I am sure we too must have cried a lott the first days at school...


Vanditha retorted...

Snugli seems to have read your post and she is crying to make you feel that she misses you ;). On a serious note, she will get used to it. Give her and yourself some time Deeps.


Soumya retorted...

Both of you will be just fine. You need some time.


Deeps retorted...

Sonia,

Thats the problem, we went to school when we were older. My mom was working, but she had my granddad and my aunt looking after me. I wonder whether she's too young to be left to strangers..

Vandy,

Yeah it was as if she realized I felt bad :-D.

Soum,

Talking of time, I really wanted to wait another week before trying it again, but since it had gone off so well, Sri insisted on me trying it again the next day itself. There's something to be said for women's intuition, I guess ;-).