Help with Toddler Behavior

[CrunchyDoula]

I wasn't sure to post this here or in the Toddlers Forum, but since I would really like gentle approaches, I though this would be the best spot.

Over the last month we just started a new church. Lailah has gone to Sunday school two times and has really seemed to love it! Today I started my bible study and the kids were going to be in nursery. Lailah did not handle it well at all. I walked in the door and she started sobbing uncontrollably when I tried to leave. I was finally able to calm her down and left. About 40 mins later they came to get me to tell me that she wouldn't settle down and was hiding in the corner. I'm not sure what to do. We have many activities that she needs to be able to be apart from me and I'm not sure how to encourage her.

She just turned 3 on Saturday. I stay at home, so she doesn't have much experience with other adults.

Any help would be appreciated!

[woodchick]

I suppose there could be many reasons that she was uncomfortable in Nursery... was it her first time there? New adults, new kids? More kids than in Sunday School?

Could you arrive at Bible study earlier next time and spend time in the nursery while she warms up to it?

My dd1 runs hot and cold when it comes to things like Sunday school and story hour. Maybe next time won't be so bad.

[_betsy_]

Did you talk to her and ask her what upset her?

When my DD (almost 3) behaves like this, I've found it's usually something beyond my control (a friend who was there last week wasn't there this week, or something), so now I try to make her aware of these possibilities before hand - "You had fun playing at Sunday school last week, remember? I don't know who will be there this time, maybe someone new to play with!" Or whatever the situation calls for.

Little disappointments like that can totally run our day, so I try to open her up to the possibility of being disappointed, while also mentioning a good outcome, ahead of time.

Do you know what upset her? Sometimes something like that can be pretty overwhelming or over stimulating.

And know that it's normal for everything to be OK the first go-around, but to have a toddler freak out in the same situation the next time around. Yes, she had fun the first week or two, then she started to realize it meant you were *leaving* her and she doesn't like that at all!

Probably a normal behavior and reaction. She'll probably be OK with a little coaching/discussion.

Also, maybe let the nursery staff know that if she's not happy in 10-15 (whatever time you're comfortable with) minutes, they can come get you or cal you out of your class. I think it's a good thing they did come to get you, it means they were being attentive to her needs and all that.