Preschool Problems — and How to Solve Them

From drop-off drama to potty predicaments (and all the issues in between), get the strategies you need to nix the most common preschool problems.

Maybe your little one ran off to join the group on the first day of preschool and never looked back. (Lucky you — that was easy!) Or maybe, and this is more likely, she still (three weeks later) turns into Human Velcro when you try to peel her off your leg at drop-off. Or maybe, instead of being stuck on you, it’s impossible to part her from her precious lovey. In any case, just about all kids — and their parents — run into a preschool problem or two at some point. Some preschool problems turn up right from the get-go (those marvelous morning meltdowns at preschool drop-off), others sneak up on you (oops, didn’t quite get to the potty on time). These don’t necessarily mean your munchkin isn’t ready for preschool — they may just mean she’ll need your help getting past these problems.

But don’t feel you have to tackle them alone. Often, the teacher’s already wise to your child’s preschool problem and is working to solve it. After all, preschool teachers have seen all kinds of preschool problems; they even know what to look for before each type of issue, well, becomes an issue. They’re so good at what they do, you may never know about some of the minor concerns that crop up. Rest assured, the teacher will clue you in about any major ones, and she may ask that you work together as a team — with her in charge of the school front and you heading the home offensive — to nip the preschool problem in the bud.

Sometimes, however, there may be an issue that’s slipped through the cracks at school (and your child isn’t bringing it to your attention either — preschoolers aren’t exactly known for their effective communication skills). If you pick up on it before the teacher does, don’t panic — or pull your kid out of preschool (since you know your child best, you may notice something that might otherwise slip under the teacher’s radar). Just as the teacher would call on you to be her partner in problem-solving if she saw a pressing preschool problem first, enlist the teacher’s help in sorting out the situation you spotted. You’ll likely work on a game plan together, but in the meantime, take a look at these articles on what causes some preschooler behaviors, like crying at preschool drop-off, having accidents, staying stuck to a security object, and not eating lunch, and learn some tried-and-true tips for tackling them.