That sounds rough! Surprisingly when I did leave my son at that age, it seemed rougher on me then him. That means you should listen to your own feelings about the matter too and call and check on him as often as you need. Let yourself miss him, you want to still have your attachment to. My new baby (9m) is also very reluctant to be held or entertained by others but will be more open if I am out of the room. He may be fine you might just see the worst of it during drop off's and pick ups. The boy I babysit has such strong emotions at that time, its almost unbelievable that he has a good happy day at my house. Let your sitter know you will be calling often, not because you find her suspect, but that it settles your mind and keeps you connected to your son's day.

I've read quite a few articles in "New Beginnings" magazine (La Leche League Publication) about moms going back to work/school. Maybe some of them would have some helpful info?

Here's the link:

http://www.llli.org/NB/NBworking.html

Thanks

Thank you for the replies!

one thing i have learned from my 14 years of parenting is that sometimes, separation is harder on the parent than it is on the child!

even if your child does show anxiety, take heart and know that he'll get over it. as long as you are leaving him in a safe place with a loving caregiver, then you know that you're not doing him any harm.

keep your good-byes short and matter-of-factly. don't let them drag on and on, even if he does cry out to you. and don't feel guilty or show guilt feelings. children pick this up very easily and will capitalize on it to get us to stay with them. he should get used to it in a few days.

you've already stayed with your child for a full year, which is more than a lot of moms can do. don't think you're short-changing your child by going to school now.

hope this helps. keep us posted!