My heart broke. He had never complained before. I asked him what was wrong, but he just looked down and stayed quiet.
Lately, I’ve noticed he’s different. Before, he would come home excitedly telling me about his adventures, but now he’s quieter, sometimes even crying for no apparent reason. Last night, while I was putting his pajamas on, I saw a bruise on his arm. “I fell,” he said quickly, but his tone didn’t convince me.
I don’t want to imagine the worst, but something isn’t right. Is he being bullied? Is someone hurting him and he’s afraid to tell me? It breaks my heart to think that he might be suffering
Rachel, my heart is with you. I went through something similar when my daughter was 4. She suddenly started dreading daycare, clinging to me at drop-off, and crying at night. I was so confused because she had always loved it before. I finally sat her down with her favorite stuffed animal and asked if the stuffed animal was scared of something. That opened the floodgates. Turns out, an older kid had been rough with her, and she was too scared to say anything.
I know it’s terrifying to think of something happening to your little one, but trust your gut. Talk to the daycare staff, ask questions, and watch his behavior closely. Maybe even have a chat with other parents to see if their kids are acting differently too. You’re his biggest advocate. Keep pushing until you get answers
This is heartbreaking. Trust your instincts. Something is definitely off. Try talking to his teachers and maybe even consider switching daycares if you don’t get clear answers
Ugh, this is so hard. My son started acting weird a few months ago, too, he went from loving daycare to suddenly not wanting to go. He would cry in the mornings and just shut down when I asked why. I also found bruises on him, and when I brought it up to the daycare, they brushed it off. I kept pressing and finally learned that another kid had been pushing him around.
Have you talked to his teachers? Do they seem concerned at all, or are they dismissive? Have you noticed if he gets more anxious about certain parts of the day, like drop off or pick up? Maybe that could give you a clue about what’s going on
First of all, you’re an amazing mom for noticing these changes and wanting to take action. My biggest advice is to start documenting everything, his behavior changes, any marks on his body, what he says, and how the daycare responds when you ask questions. If this is a case of bullying or even neglect, you’ll want a record.
Also, try giving him a “feelings chart” at home where he can point to different emotions instead of verbalizing. Sometimes, kids this age don’t have the words to explain what’s happening, but they can recognize feelings. Keep the conversation open, and let him know it’s safe to talk to you
I’ve been through this, and I know how gut-wrenching it is. My son is 10 now, but when he was 4, we went through something eerily similar. He went from loving daycare to being withdrawn and anxious. Turns out, there was a teacher who would yell at the kids constantly, and it made him feel scared and unsafe.
If I could go back, I’d do a few things differently:
Have a sit-down meeting with the daycare staff ASAP. Ask direct questions about his behavior there.
Trust my child’s nonverbal cues more, kids don’t always say what’s wrong, but they show it.
Be ready to pull him out if I didn’t feel 100% confident in their response.
No matter what, your son needs to know you’re in his corner. You’re doing the right thing by questioning this
Thank you all so much for your support. I had a meeting with his teacher today, and while they assured me nothing is wrong, I’m still not convinced. I’m going to keep watching closely and trying to get him to open up. Will update soon. 
Rachel, I know this is terrifying, but I just want to offer some reassurance. My daughter went through something similar, and it turned out she was just feeling overwhelmed by a new routine at daycare. We had a meeting with her teachers, adjusted a few things, and within weeks, she was back to her happy self.
Not saying that’s the case for your son, but sometimes, changes in behavior don’t always mean the worst. You’re an incredible mom for noticing and taking this seriously. Whatever’s going on, you’ll get to the bottom of it, and he will be okay