What To Do If Your Child Isn't Happy In Preschool

Preschool is all fun, play, and pure happiness—or at least, this is how you expect it to be. Unfortunately, you see some red flags and realize that your child isn't happy in his or her preschool. Here's what you should do if you see early warning signs.

Observe

The first thing to do is to observe further. Go to your child's preschool to observe the environment. For sure, you have diligently assessed the school before you even enrolled your child. This time, you have to look around again with your child's problem in mind. If the school allows it, try observing classes without your child knowing you are there. Do you think the way the teacher teaches the lessons makes your child unhappy? Or is it her interactions with her classmates that make her unhappy? Try to observe and reason out what could be the possible causes of your child's lack of enthusiasm in this preschool.

Communicate

The next thing to do is communicate. Talk to your child and get some clues about the root cause of his or her unhappiness about schooling, without directly asking about it. Try encouraging your child to talk about what happens in school. Ask who his or her favorite teacher and classmates are. Communicate with the school administrator and teachers in a private meeting. Be attentive in observing how they would handle your concern. From the meeting, you should feel their genuine concern for your child. If not, resist acting untoward and expressing your speculations. Remember, your child's well-being in school depends on your relationship with the school officials and teachers.

Reflect

The next step is to reflect. List all the possible reasons for your child's unhappiness based on your observation and correspondence. Recall your decision to enroll your child in early childhood learning. Were you able to think about it thoroughly or was it a haphazard decision? Knowing what you know today, will you still enroll your child in this school? Try to ask yourself as many questions as possible. Be objective in your answers and always think of your child's well-being when answering.

Decide

Lastly, you have to decide. There is a thin line between a hard adjustment or a bad fit. If after observing, communicating, and reflecting, you conclude that your child is just having a very hard time adjusting to this new environment, then stay. Otherwise, the preschool could be a bad fit for your child's personality, learning style, or knowledge level. This is when you decide to start looking for another preschool to enroll your child in.

Choosing early childhood schooling for your child should not be taken as a light decision. Always communicate with your child and observe. Take time to digest the information and reflect so that you will not miss an important detail when finally coming up with a decision. Be there for your child and assure them that you will help them in their transition to their new preschool.