With a little planning, both you and your childcare provider will be able to navigate the bumps on the road toward a successful partnership. Your tiny baby and babe deserve the same comfort, care, and security as at home. Here are some tips to make the transition from home to daycare as smooth as possible.
1. Basics: Location And Hours Of Operation
You may be new to daycare, but you should know that the mornings before your baby were easy. Add to that a list of extras such as two sets of clothes, labeled diapers, prepared and labeled baby bottles, and baby food, and you have a morning routine that is at the mercy of all of these things. Make sure you keep the logistics simple. Choose a daycare that is convenient for your schedule and available during those hours.
2. Be Aware Of The Child-To-Adult Ratio.
“Low ratios of children to adults and small groups help ensure your child receives enough one-on-one attention from an available adult to meet each child’s individual needs.” It helps both adults and children to feel less overwhelmed. Children are less likely to be injured or get sick because adults can better monitor and respond to smaller groups. Here are the requirements for your state. The younger the children are, the more adults who have been trained should be there, and the smaller the group size.
3. Accept That It Will Be Stressful At First.
It will be hard to get your child into daycare in the first few days or weeks. You’ll worry. They’ll cry. You might cry. You might cry.
You’ll doubtless question your decisions as you go through the first few months of daycare. Every article that suggests daycare could have a detrimental impact on your child is countered by another article that suggests a beneficial outcome for your child. Remember that you know your child better than anyone else.
4. Communicate.
Parents should not be afraid to tell a child’s childcare provider about their child because “the more they know about your kid, the better the teacher can help with play, learning, and development.” The more you understand about your child’s day, the easier it will be to support their learning at home. “Remember that both you and your child’s teacher have their well-being in mind.”
You can try to communicate with your child’s caretaker via text, email, or drop-off time if you find the pick-up times too busy. Teachers who know your child’s uniqueness will be able to better meet his needs and encourage him to progress.
5. Don’t Linger.
We’ve all been there. It can be painful to leave your mini-me, especially when she is having a meltdown. For the sake of everyone’s sanity, it is sometimes best to kiss and run. The drop-off should be about your child, not about you. If you must shed tears, crying in the car will help your kids to be more successful than if they see you.
6. Establish Routines.
The majority of children who enter preschool are socially, emotionally, and behaviorally able to regulate their emotions and behavior. This means that increasing expectations for your child to take care of themselves, such as dressing, putting shoes on, and getting ready to go out, using verbal help rather than physical “help” to complete these tasks, can be a great asset as they transition into a daycare environment.
Translation: Give them a daily task to do that involves your child in the daycare process. They can put their diapers into their bags or their shoes on. Or they can pack their snack. When they are included in the routine, it becomes one that they will embrace.
7. Talk It Out.
In The Young Exceptional Child by Hoffman & Hughes, “research has shown that parents who begin preparing their children for school early by discussing expectations at school and appropriate school behavior and engaging in regularity-down listening activities ease the transition to preschool by demonstrating routine and building confidence, curiosity, and self-control.” You can make the transition to daycare less stressful by talking to your child about it.
8. Adjust The Schedule Of Daycare.
You are the parent who decides what time to eat, sleep, watch a movie, take a bath, and go to bed, even if sometimes it doesn’t work out as planned. When your child starts daycare, his daily rhythm changes. Find out the schedule that your child has during the week and try to follow it at the weekend. Keep in mind that your child may be more exhausted on weekends and will nap longer.
9. Give Yourself A Minute.
It’s not easy to adjust to a new job away from home if that is the reason for your decision to choose a part-time or full-time daycare. It can be difficult to cope with the feeling of being pulled in many directions and stretched thin. Before picking up your children from daycare in auckland, take a moment to pamper yourself. You can recharge yourself by simply finishing your coffee or taking a 15-minute walk.
10. Show Your Appreciation.
This was the sentiment of a mom we spoke with who had just completed her first year as a full-time caregiver. No matter how busy you may be at pick-up or drop-off, invest in the caregivers. Spend time talking to them at the start and end of each day about your child. No matter how busy you may be, always be friendly and kind to these people. They are taking care of your best thing. “Build them up to be in the best position to raise your child.”
