Preschool Fears

I would agree with pulling him out. He's too young. 2 1/2 seems like the norm now a days. Toddlers can get plenty of interaction with other kids at the park. Keep him home for as long as you can. Enjoy the younger years. I'm not a big believer in preschool. I know I'm getting cussed at right now. The first 5 years should be spent with the mother, teaching, loving, playing etc.

He's only 2 1/2. It's not like if he doesn't start preschool now he'll never get into college. I don't think there's any reason to continue to make a toddler go to preschool if he doesn't want to. He's still so little.

I feel for you. My oldest did that for 4 weeks. She even cried so hard she made herself sick. However, after that week she realized that was what she had to do and got used to it. However, I had to put her in for 3 days a week instead of 2. The 4 day weekend everyweek was too much for her. Now my youngest just started this year and went in kicking and screaming but loves it now. She goes 2 days a week but just likes feeling big like her sister. My advice would be give it time and possibly switch to 3 days a week if you can. It really helped my oldest when we went through that same situation. Good Luck!!!

I would pull him out. He doesn't want to do it and he's only 2 1/2 years old! Let him stay with you and you can do all kinds of fun things. You don't have to enroll him in preschool at this age! He's a very young child and doesn't need to be away from you! Four hours at a time is a very long time for a 2 1/2 year old. My kindergartener's class goes for less than 3 hours, by contrast.

DOn't let people convince you to do somethign that your gut tells you isn't working.

Best of luck,
M.

I've worked in childcare for over 20 years and seen many children go through this stage. At 2 1/2 years of age, I think your son needs some type of experience outside of your constant care. If you have plenty of other outlets for him to be in the care of others for brief periods of time... church nursery, playgroup, etc. you might want to wait a little longer on an actual preschool experience. If preschool is his only outlet, I'd wait it out a while longer at least. I've seen children go through this kind of thing for up to several months before getting over it. In most of the cases I've dealt with, the parents had no choice because their child was in a daycare/preschool while they went to work... and of course it was for all day, five days a week rather than the short time two days a week that your son has. It is difficult on parents, teachers and the other children (not to mention on the child having the problem) but they do survive. The main thing is to be supportive, try to stay calm, and when you leave him there, make it a loving but brief goodbye... and don't let him see you coming back to look in a window and check on him! If his teacher is one you truly trust, let her handle it. By going back into the classroom and prolonging the leave-taking you will only cause him to think he may be going home, or worse, give him the idea you aren't comfortable with his classroom and teacher... and then why should he be?

I hope this is helpful.

I don't know the answer here, but I would question whether preschool is a right decision for now. I feel a tremendous amount of pressure to enroll my 2 1/2 year old in preschool by family and friends. I remember kids going to preschool at 4... Why are we pressuring our children to "go to school" when they will have plenty of years in school soon enough? I'm not going to put my son in school although I am going to start taking him to more organized activities like the library reading time and gymnastics. It's way more than my parents did for me and I am a smart college-educated, well socialized person!

I just enrolled my 3yr old in preschool also. He has 2 little girls whom are under 3yrs that are also having a difficult time. I spoke to the teacher and she said that she almost always had issues with children under three. I'm not sure if he's ready or if he'll pull out of it for you but I would wait an other week and if it doesn't stop, I would take him out. If you make him stay, it may have a lasting effect on the way he feels about school. You could always try a break and them re-eroll him somewhere else after christmas. I'm sorry I don't have the answer but good luck!

Hi A.,

I own a Montessori preschool and I will tell you that week 3 is the typical "fall apart" week of preschool. At first children love their school experience, but then realization sets in that you are going to drop him off for a while and he is now adjusting to that. It's kind of like when you move, you get that "homesick" feeling. We always warn parents that around week 3, things will probably change, but it should be breif. If you can see that your son is learning, then he is clearly engaged while he is at preschool and is not sitting in the corner moping the whole time. Many times children react for the parents benefit and by the time mom's tires hit the pavement, crying is over and they are fine. The teachers should be able to let you know how he responds in the classroom once you leave and should call you if he cries for more than 20 minutes.

My advice would be hang in there and tell him how much you love him, that you will see him soon when you are dropping off. Give him a point of reference for when you will return, "Mommy will be back to pick you up right after you finish lunch (circle time, outside time or whatever activity they do just before pick up)."

Also at this point, he's probably just now starting to make new friends. This can take a while for young children as they are just now moving out of parallel play and begin to play interactively whith other children. Be patient with him, he is learning the ropes of being new to a situation and this teaches help him necessary coping skills and helps him become self-confident so that he will prepared for kindergarten and life. You are giving him a great advantage by showing him now that he can exist socially on his own unitl you return. You are wise keeping his school experience to breif periods. As he gets older, you can add more days per week or more hours a day to get him gradualy adjusted to kindergarten.

Please let me know how it all works out and feel free to contact me if you have any other questions. Good luck!

Our preschool recommends you be loving but firm in dropping him off, but sometimes they say it might be good for you to come for a day with him. They do say that it should eventually go away, it's just the stage. My son has this with sitters sometimes, but never at church or at preschool. Good luck!!!

Hi A.~

I know this view isn't particularly popular with some... so all of you, go ahead and pretend to throw rotten tomatoes at me, but here's my opinion... keep him home. Don't get me wrong, I'm a big believer in preschool. They learn great skills to help them in kindergarten, but I don't think it's necessary until the year before they attend kindergarten. Are you looking to catch a break or are you doing this for an academic or socialization reasons? If you want to get a little time to yourself, maybe see if friends or family will swap babysitting once in a while or join a MOPS group (great adult interaction and they'll watch the kids for a bit too). Pick a couple evenings out every month where you go get dinner or dessert or coffee with some friends and hubby stays home. If you're worried about academic development or socialization then that can be achieved by you too. Simple crafts and activities can help hone those skills (let me know if you'd like a book recommendation). And regular visits to the park, library, play dates with friends or cousins, church groups, gym or art class... these are all fantastic ways to socialize.

Are most people right when they say he'll get over it? Yes. In most instances, kids will eventually be okay with being dropped off at school. However, 2.5 is still so tiny. Even if they say they're ready. Even if you need some time to yourself. Even if everyone around you says 2.5 is old enough... keep him home so he can learn morals and values not from a well-meaning adult at school who may not teach him how you would, but from you and your husband.

That's my 2 cents. I've caught all the rotten tomatoes and all I have to say is I hope you all have a wonderful day! :)

A.

Good morning A., I have been on both sides of this fence . It is really normal that your son have a delayed reaction to his new school experience. It seems to not hit all children right away. The more matter a fact you are during the transtion the better for him. Having a very predictable good bye rutine ,one that he helps establish is really helpful. My son always had to give us a kiss through the heart cut out in the fence at preschool. The biggest thing you can do is never show doubt to him about going. Be confident and sure and stick to a short and sweet good-bye. He should get over this by a month or two but some children are always sad to say good bye. My son was sad for 2 years saying good bye but he loved his school and wanted to be there. So as long as everything else seems good for your child at the school... It's the right match,the right amount of children, some kids do better in small private preschools vrs larger centers,then I would keep on sending him. It's so heart breaking to leave them crying but most of the time as a teacher they were over it withen minutes of the parent leaving and it was the same for my own children. But most of all really try to listen to what your mothers intuition is telling you. You know him best and maybe it's just to early for him. My oldest daughter was ready at 2 1/2 my son had a diffucult time starting at 3. You decide and if it's worth sticking with. He may prefer to have more together in the park days where your with him but he is still socializing and playing with other kids. I take my little one to a gymnastics program which she loves. So best wishes to you. I hope I could be of help.

Oh, it's so hard when they cry!!! Maybe the first week he loved it because it was something new and different but when he realized it was going to be an ongoing thing, he has decided he would rather be at home with mom. Given his age, I really don't have any advice on whether to keep going or to wait and try again next year. Sorry. but good luck. I feel for you - it is so hard to leave them when they're crying.

Why keep him in at that age if he's not happy? Unless you really need the time for yourself, I say take him out. He's still a baby, and the person he really wants to be with is mommy. He will have plenty of opportunities to "learn."

I remember when I tried to put my daughter in a preschool for a few hours when she was 3. She was always very independent but she just cried the whole time she was there. There was nothing wrong with the preschool, she just wasn't ready. Since I was a stay-at-home mom and had the luxury of not leaving her there I took her out and put her in when she was 4. She was ready then and it was fine.

Although it's difficult to see him cry, stick with it. He believes he can make you come back by crying, and it's important for him, at this age, to learn that you will come back only when he is in danger, not when he is in a safe place like the pre-school.
I taught pre-school for many years and took care of many children who cried.
The children know (unconsciously) that they can tug at your heartstrings but when they find out that it is not effective they stop crying and have fun. I would usually let a child cry for the first three sessions or so, holding him and acknowledging that he missed his mommy. At about the fourth session, I sat down quietly with him and told him, "No more crying at school." this usually worked, sometimes children have to be told this.
Your boy is old enough to be away from you for a few hours a week; it is good for him.
Good luck!

A., I would like to respond from two different aspects. First, is your son typically able to self-soothe? If so, then this is probably the adjustment period as mentioned previously. If not, then you need to pull him out and work with him to learn techniques of self soothing. Second, your child probably does need a more consistent routine, and the two days a week is not enough. Many private preschools do not have programs for less than four days, and some insist on a five day a week program because it develops the consistency.

My son went to preschool from 18 mos. to 30 mos. He rarely cried at drop off, but often cried when I came to pick him up, because he was having so much fun playing with the other children he didn't want to leave. I think that it feels worse to have your child look at you at the end of the day and throw himself on the floor crying that he doesn't want to go home.

Now at 34 mos. we are both staying at home. We go to the library programs twice a week and to a playgroup once or twice a week. This plan is working for us now, but I'm hoping to send him back to preschool in another few months, because he loved it so much. Also, children have sensitive periods for certain types of learning during the 3 year old to six year old time period that I don't want him to miss out on.

Just know whatever decision you make will be the right decision for you and your family right now, and be at peace with it.

J.

Give it a chance. Be sure to make drop off quick. A quick kiss and then GO.....Do not hang there trying to make him feel better. Give it a few weeks. Trust in your decision....make it clear in your head and then go for it. He is fineeeeeeeee. If it makes you feel better have his teacher call you 5 minutes after drop off just to ease your mind. He is probably only crying while he has an audience.

A.
he is pretty young, can he stay at home and have a play group in a smaller setting??
A.

Hi A.!

I started my son in a summer program at his preschool a few months after he turned 3. Same situation, the first week he loved it, but not so much the second week. That program was 6 weeks long & then he had a 2 week break until the real school year started. It came down to me dropping him off at the door, letting the teacher take him from there. Unfortunately, you have to relinquish some of the control to the teachers & depend on them to do their job to make him feel good about the school. That being said, you may want to wait a little bit longer before fully pursuing preschool. Depending on what month he was born, you may have 2 full years to get him prepped for kindergarten. My son is an April baby, so he will do a year of preschool & then a year of pre-k. If you decide to wait & try again after he is 3, see if the school offers a summer program that is all about fun. That will help him get ready for the learning. A good book to have (my son LOVES it!) is "The Kissing Hand" by Audrey Penn. It will help both of you, because I know your heart hurts when he is so sad at preschool. Hang in there!

-T.

4 hours is actually a pretty long stretch of school for that age. I had both my kids in a preschool program when they were under 3, but the program was only an hour and a half. I think that socialization and independent time is great for kids, but it needs to be in chunks they can handle. Watch him as he plays at home -- can he go that long without serious downtime? I'd say either wait until he's 3 or find a shorter program that won't be as challenging.

My son isn't in preschool yet, but I've been touring some to try to figure out where to apply, and many places say the same thing - it's harder for the kids to go a few days a week, rather than every day. Every day gives them more reliable and understandable structure, they know they're going to school, rather than wondering when they wake up if they will or not. Something like that. Would it be something you could try, to send him every day and see if that helps? Or, wait and try again in a year? 2 1/2 is still young. Good luck with your decision!

If you are able to, wait to put him in preschool. My son started at 4 and I go with him, (its parent participation).

Hi again A.. I've been thinking about you this morning (My original response is below) and wanted to re-read my response as well as those from all the other Mums with advice for you. So I have and I noticed that not one of them considers YOUR needs. I simply NEEDED to start my daughter in pre-school, for my own sake. It shouldn't make you feel guilty. Please, don't feel guilty. If you need a break, then take a break. Your son will be fine. If your instinct tells you the school is good and he is engaged and having fun, then go with your gut, stick it out, do a third morning a week to help him make the transition faster, and take some time for yourSELF. Guilt-free YOU TIME! Here is my original response below:

I feel your pain A.. My daughter just turned three. When she was 2 1/2, we started her in a pre-school for two full days a week. She told us "I'm ready for school; I'm a big girl" and LOVED the first couple of weeks. But then the honeymoon ended and the reality set in. She'd cry and cry the moment she woke up. Every day it was the same question: "Do I have to go to school today?" And then the waterworks would start. This continued for four months. When she turned three, it stopped. Like, literally. She turned three and it stopped. Something about turning three made her BIG. Now she still says she'd (and I quote) "prefer to stay home and help you with all your work mummy." But she loves it!

All pre-school teachers say that three days a week is better. I think if you're only sending him mornings, he should probably go three days a week. He'll get used to it faster.

In hindsight, I might have waited till my girlie turned three; but she LOVES it when she's there, she NEEDS the interactions she gets there, and she LEARNS so much that I simply can't teach her when we're one-on-one, no matter how well organized and energetic I am.

PLUS, hey, it's great for me to have some time to myself, knowing she's in the hands of good, talented, loving pre-school teachers.

Good luck and stay strong.

K. in EC

A.,
Have you tried to talk to the teacher about any children that might be bothering him or tasks/issues that he finds difficult or frustrating? Are you able to observe through a one way window/mirror for a while to see how he is doing once you "leave" and what they do to help calm & relax him? Our 3 year old started preschool at 2 1/2 also. (He's adopted from Russia so he was delayed when we brought him home but the gap is closing fast). He started telling us about a little girl who was hitting him. I had seen it myself on two occasions. It wasn't being dealt with at school. I know this is kid stuff, but it had a huge impact on him and with his background, he was completely retreating in fear. We ended up pulling him from that school because there were other issues (not being changed, filthy hands when I picked him up and he had just been eating - gross!) He stayed with my cousin for the interim and we just started preschool again last Friday. He was very nervous about school and started talking about this little girl who had hit him. Mind you, this is about 4 months later! We assured him she wouldn't be there. After the 1st day of school, he created an imaginary friend to help with anxiety. I'm not trying to worry you or suggest the school is doing anything wrong. But their little fears are VERY BIG to them. Maybe it is just simply detaching from you that is hard for him right now, but maybe he is struggling with something there.

Is he crying throughout the whole time he's there or does he settle down and enjoy himself while you're gone? If he is crying or upset the whole time, I would take him out if you can since he is a bit young for preschool. However, if he's only crying in the beginning maybe talking to him about what he likes about the school and lots of reassurances may help him through the transition. I wouldn't come back to class to check on him once you leave him because it will only aggrivate matters.

My youngest went through something similar, but she was 4 not 2 1/2 and only cried while I was there. So we rode it out and after a couple of weeks she was fine and LOVED her preschool. She still has a poster on her wall of all her friends and teacher from preschool!

Hi- I would probably look into the school. I know I'm jumping off the other end of the spectrum, but when a child does not want to go and cries repeatedly, it could be something else other than missing you. How is he treated there? Do any surprise visits? When a child doesn't want to go that bad I would see what other causes there are. Are the teachers paying attention to him, is it good environment, are other kids crying? I know I'm probably wrong, but always better to look at every angle ten just one. God bess

Hi A.
My son had the same distraught behavior in pre-school. (He attended 2 days a week so I thought that maybe it wasn't enough of a routine.)It was heart-wrenching to leave him when he seemed so unhappy. He actually loved going, had many friends etc., liked the "lessons" and teachers.

2 years later, he's in kindergarten and doing the same thing: crying at goodbye time almost every morning. However, his teacher says he's doing great, very cheerful, cooperative and all. He just doesn't like the parting, I guess.

Your son loves you and misses you when you leave, but if he enjoys his school and you see the benefit of keeping him enrolled, you can allow him to work through his parting fears and attend pre-school. (Is part time an option?) Preschool is not mandatory, but eventually he will have to leave home for school. At what point you have him out there is up to you.

I'd pull him out, and try again at 3 or even 4. Do occaisional play dates and maybe trade "playtime" with another child/mom, one week both of them at your house to play for maybe 2 hrs then next week both at his house, so on. This gives him time to get used to being away from you without being with a crowd, just one other kid and his mom, and you get a bit of time to go shopping without a kid in tow, or take a nap, or whatever you want to do.

Hi A., From what I've heard and experienced with my older boy, this is pretty common-- they love preschool at first, then get anxious, then relax again. When my son went through this (it only last a couple weeks for him, but he went three days a week to school) I talked to him about what was making him anxious-- was it hard to be away from me, hard to be in a new setting. It may just be my imagination, but that seemed to help. After a couple weeks we were back to him dashing off as soon as we got there, and me having to beg for a kiss goodbye. 8-)
Good luck!

Keep taking him and make the ride there fun. Sing with him or something then drop him off. He will adjust. I am guressing that he has been home with you for the past 2 1/2 yrs.

Dear A.,
First of all, I am so sorry about your anxieties over this situation.
It is so hard to know if you are doing the right thing when your kid seems so upset about it. But, I have been on both sides of that fence. I did daycare for babies as soon as mom was cleared to go back to work after birth. The little babies are the ones who did just fine with it. The kids who were a little bit older, about your son's age, had a little more trouble and it was usually, if you will allow me to be honest, based on how the parents did with it. Little kids can read tension. They can soak anxiety like a sponge.
My daughter was in pre-school very early because she was smarter than a whip and that outside stimulation was SO good for her. She started kindergarten at 4 years old and there was just no turning back. She got mad when she had to come home. My son, who is far more sensitive, loved pre-school, but he wanted me to stay there with him. It was a fun place and he wanted me to have fun there too. And I noticed that I would get upset or tense about taking him and then he would get upset. So...what I did was make arrangements with the teacher to let me hang out for a while before we signed out and left at the end of the day. He could show me his artwork and tell me about his snack. It was so cute because they had little tiny toilets and sinks and he just loved taking me in the bathroom to go potty and wash his hands. I just very much made that HIS place that he could share with me before it was time to go. No matter how rushed I was, I always made sure to have time for him to tell me about his day. It really worked. In the morning, I was always very enthusiastic about going to school. And if he said he didn't want to go, I would say that's okay if he doesn't feel like it, but he always has fun when he gets there and don't worry....Mommy will always come to pick you up and bring you home.
The other thing is that my sensitive son worried if I would be all right without him.
I had to make sure he knew that Mommy will be okay. Daddy will be okay. Sissy will be okay. Sissy was at school too! The whole family will be okay and so happy when it's time for him to come home.
You are only doing 8 hours per week total. I think that now that you have started it, you should definitely stick with it. Just try to find ways to let him know he is lucky to get to go to his special place and have Miss Whatever Her Name Is and his friends and home is not going anywhere.
It's only been a few weeks and you didn't say anything bad about where you are taking him. Let him gain that security in himself.
2-1/2 becomes 5 and time for kindergarten really quickly.
I have a 22 year old and a 13 year old. Pre-school really does prepare them for so much. And I think it's good for them. All kids have separation anxiety now and then. It's normal. But, they need to know that they can make it through a few hours without you.
Just keep encouraging him.

I'm a pre-school teacher. The advice I always give new parents is give it a month. We, as adults, take a few days to transition to changes. It takes these little guys about a month before they get comfortable. The first day of the week is always the hardest for them. Since your little boy is going twice a week it might even take a month and a half. They realize after a couple of days that the parent will be leaving for awhile & it is that seperation time that is hard. Also, give him something to look forward to at the end of the day. Some parents go to the park, library, or a walk. Sometimes parents say they will take them for ice cream (I wouldn't use this daily). Also, ask the teacher about the routine of the day and to remind him a little about it. For example: we have outside play, then lunch, them mommy will pick you up. Even if it is longer than that (most of the day's activites), it helps them know the routine & realize when they are being picked up.

My son started preschool at 2yrs, 1 month. He loved week one, was weepy week two, and then seemed okay week three. The main difference, though, between your son's situation and my son's (at least based on your post), is that my son went five days a week. Our school had 2x, 3x, and 5x a week options at that age. Almost all the kids who left during the year or did not return the following year went 2x per week. I remember speaking to a long time teacher I had met when my husband and I toured the school. When she saw that our son was attending, she asked us how many days a week he would be there. I said, "Five," and she told me that she was glad to hear that because the five day a week kids adjust much more quickly. They get used to the new routine, etc. Our son was born quite prematurely (2 yrs 1 month was his adjusted age when he started school; his actual age was closer to 2 yrs, 4 months), and so we had access to the developmental clinic at CPMC. They strongly suggested we send our son to preschool at age two, and given that I was working four days per week, we choose the five day option. I'm so glad we did. He loved school (after the first couple of weeks) and is now a perfectly normal (well, such that anyone is normal!), happy kindergartener. We have a wonderful relationship with him that I doesn't seem to have suffered in the least from his going to preschool 5 days a week. Another couple of ideas: be sure not to prolong saying good bye. Tell your son to have a fun day and that you (or Dad) will pick him up at lunch time (or whenever is appropriate) and then leave the classroom without looking back or looking through any windows. It's h*** o* the parent, sometimes, to do that, but it seems to be much easier on the kid. Also, be sure that you're not making a big deal out of the difficulty he is having right now adjusting. I'm a bit surprised that the teacher seems at a loss because what you are experiencing is not that unusual. Let your son bring a "lovey" of some sort if you like, but help him decide right away what it will be and then don't make any more changes. Kids need a routine. The more you react to your son's difficulty with school, the more he will be convinced that there is something to be upset about. The calmer and more upbeat you can be, the more he will sense that things are okay. If possible, please try to increase the number of days he is at school, even if it's just to three.

Hi A.,

You have made a great decision in enrolling your son in preschool. It will be very h*** o* all of you through the transition. He sounds like he's going through a normal phase. My daughter was in a daycare/preschool since she was 6 months old. When she was about 15-18 months, she started having separation anxiety - she would scream and cry when we dropped her off. She also went to school for a limited time during the week (3 half days/week). After a few weeks, she liked to go to school again. Some suggestions I received was to talk about the daily lessons and the friends she's around. Also, once you have said your good-bye, leave and don't linger and try to hide your reaction to his cries. I bet that after you leave, he probably eases up and has a good time! Most experienced teachers have been through this and know what to do once you've left. I wouldn't suggest that you take him out (yet). He hasn't been there long enough to build a routine and really get used to being there. In the long run this will be good, but reassure him that you will be there after school.

Good luck!

We found out through reading books and monitoring our son that he does much better with a consecutive schedule - 3days in a row of daycare/preschool instead of every other day. He is more comfortable knowing that what he did today is what he will do tomorrow. We talk about tomorrow every night before bed and again when he wakes up and if there is going to be a schedule change we talk about it in advance - vacation etc.
That being said - we put him in daycare at 10 months and he did really well - loved being around other kids and really stepped up his learning to catch up with the older kids. When we first moved to Mountain House he seemed to enjoy his new daycare/preschool in spite of the shock of moving and everything being different - but after the first week it was a big fight every morning to get him ready and I could tell he dreaded it. He used to ask to "go see his kids" at his old daycare when he was home with us, so I took him seriously and put him in a smaller daycare with no big kids and he was fine from Day 1 and still loves it after almost a year.
SO, try to spend some time at his preschool - does he have buddies? Are there any kids he has things in common with? Is there a bully or a screamer that makes it stressful? Is the food yucky? If all seems well, give him a few more weeks to adjust and then re-evaluate.

Hi A.,

Every child is different. My husband and I haven't actually put our daughter in preschool, but have gone back and forth on it. Our day care provider has been running a day care out of her home for many years and she has always said that the best time to take them out of day care and put them in a preschool is the year before they start school. For one, it's an emotional readiness and at 2 1/2-3 years, that readiness may not be there. Her clientelle is teachers' kids...they have all found that they don't really learn THAT much more by giving them such a huge head start.
If your son is that emotionally distressed, you may want to consider going back to your previous child care arrangement.

Hi -

Just a quick little story about my experience of preschool. My son was about 2 or 3 years old (he is now 26) and the same thing happened. He would cry and throw a big fit and not want to stay and the woman would tell me to just leave he would be alright. On two different occasions when I picked him up one time his eyes were swollen almost shut and I was told he got bit by a bug during nap time. Another time I picked him up and he had dried blood around his nose and they made another excuse. I kept him in there two weeks and probably two weeks too long.

I remember only one time did he say something to the fact that they put him in this room which turned out to be like a shed between the house and play room and that was the only time he ever said anything. I never took him back.

I'm sure the place you are taking your child is not the same because of all the laws in place today, but it always makes me wonder now when a child throws that big of a fit if something more isn't happening to them and they just can't tell you. Especially since he liked it in the beginning.

Just be careful!

R.