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Hi. I've been a SAHM with DD2 since she was born and while she's confident and full of personality, she is also v.clingy to me. I recently decided that 2 mornings a week in a little montessori nearby might do her good in terms of encouraging a bit of independence away from me and her older sister. Anyway the first 2 weeks went great, she loved it and went racing in each morning with her back-pack on, happy as larry. Then last weekend I went to London on a girls trip and this morning when I brought DD2 in she had a meltdown and didn't want to stay. She had been v.happy the whole way to playschool (backpack, snack ready etc) and then just didn't want to go in the door. I tried to gently encourage her and then carried her in and said I'd stay but she wouldn't even take her head out of my coat! I didn't want to force it so brought her home. Should I have stayed and pushed it more? Should I have left her? I don't want her to think she can opt out anytime she wants but she is still quite young - only just turning 2 and a half- and I don't want to turn her against playschool either!

Thats hard, I hate when that happens makes you feel so guilty!!! . My DD2 still does that from time to time even now and she's in playschool a year now. If it happens again,a member of staff really should help you out by encouraging her to say bye bye and then doing something that's fun or her favourite thing. If her rountine was broken you wouldnt know what went through her head when you were leaving the school. Might be worthwhile calling in advance and asking them to help you out tomorrow. Good luck!

I know you were away for the weekend so she is probably a bit clingy after that but I still would have left her. She would have been fine after 5/10 minutes.
We recently had to leave my dd off at my dads work as we were going to a wedding. He would have minded her before but she wouldn't have remembered it as she was just a little baby. As he was driving off with her she was roaring. He said she cried for a few minutes, then she was feeling very sorry for herself for another while and he brought her to Petmania and there wasn't a bother off her. DD will be two on Saturday.

DD used to do this initially and then the playschool would ring me and tell me she was fine, probably about 40 minutes later.

I would persevere to be honest. I would imagine she's a smart cookie and knows a bit of tugging at the heart strings will get her what she wants !

Thanks for the replies. Normally I'm totally into the 'ah they'll be grand after a few minutes' way and would have left her but she just wouldn't let go of my coat! And I think I was caught by surprise as she had been so enthusiastic up till the moment we went in the door. The other thing I thought of was that on Friday I dropped her off in the morning and then DH collected her as I was heading to the airport. Then she didn't see me till Sunday night, I guess that was her last association of the playschool. Will try again tomorrow and persist this time, and lots of reassurance I guess!