Nursery World - Positive Relationships: Behaviour

Why does a child throw a tantrum at collection time? Cath Hunter explains how you can investigate.

Q: A little boy (three years six months) in our nursery just never seems to want to go home at the end of the day, and time and again throws a tantrum at collection time. His family are very loving and I have no concerns about his family life. It just seems that he can't bear finishing his play and parting from his friends. His poor mother always looks so embarrassed when faced with her son's reluctance to leave. How should we respond?

A: This sounds like a difficult situation and one that may cause embarrassment for all the adults involved. However, for the child - let's call him Jack - it can be both confusing and overwhelming. It is important that you take his distress seriously and recognise how traumatic he is finding this event.

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