What to do about my 2-year-old crying and screaming at daycare?

Question

My daughter is 2 years old and in daycare where I work. She started there when she was 13 months old. It took her about a week to adjust to that room which was to be expected. I have worked in daycare for 20 years so I know how that works.

At the end of August she moved up to the 2-year-old room. She screamed for the first week, then stopped for a couple of days and then started again worse than ever. She screams literally all day, I hear her through both closed doors.

We have tried ignoring, rewarding, time out, distracting, everything - nothing works. She screams so much she has no voice. I have completely run out of ideas. At first, I thought it was the room, but they even moved her to the other toddler room for a day to try and she cried there too. Please help.

Answer 1

I am not a professional but I am talking purely from a seasoned mother point of view. Perhaps she is scared of someone or something in the room. Take her anguish seriously and do not think she is being spoiled. She is trying to tell you something. Maybe you can bring in a different caretaker into the room to help transition her into the room, or temporarily find a different babysitter, even though it will cost you more. Her self-esteem may be conversely affected if you just let her scream it out.

Answer 2

Some thoughts:

*Instead of being a "new room" issue, could it be a "new teacher" issue? Did she form an attachment to (someone she no longer gets to see) in her old classroom?

*Could you leave something with her that has your smell on it (as a subtle connection)? Maybe a hat that you can pop on her head when you kiss her before you leave?

I'm just thinking outloud. I can't imagine how stressful it is for you to hear her in distress day after day. Hang in there! -el