Great Tips to Help Prepare Your Child for Daycare

Families come in all shapes and sizes today. Whether you are a single parent or part of a two-income household, the need to find excellent daycare for your children is often a priority that families deal with. Having to go back to work after having a child can be a tough emotional burden for parents to carry.

Knowing that your child is being taken care of in the best and most enriching environment possible, like at Buttercups Child Care, can ease the worry and angst for many parents. However, it isn’t just the moms and dads that can have a hard time adjusting to a preschool arrangement. The kids themselves may find it hard to cope at the beginning with being separated from their parents and being put into a totally foreign situation.

The good news is, there are plenty of things that parents can do to help prepare their child to adapt quickly to the daycare routine. Take a look at some of these tips for parents – and children – that are taking the leap into the world of daycare for the first time. And if you need help finding a daycare centre near you, a service like Toddle can speed up the process.

Start Out Slow

New places and experiences can be exciting and a little bit scary for little ones, especially when they are separated from their parent. When first starting out with a daycare routine, it is best to only try 2-3 days a week just for a few hours. Easing your child into the new atmosphere and slowly building their confidence level can make this process easier for both child and parent.

Positive Attitude

The most common reaction in children that are new to daycare is fear and anxiety from being in a new environment without the support of a trusted parent. Moms and dads can help the child to overcome their fears by keeping up a positive outlook and making the changes seem more like an exciting adventure. Although parents often suffer from the same types of feelings as their children during this process, it is up to the adults to focus their child’s attention onto the adventure and fun waiting for them, and not on their own fears.

Don’t Hang Around

The hardest part of starting your child in day-care can be the morning drop-off. This is the time when your child is the most likely to have a negative reaction and may become upset or clingy. Day-care professionals say that a quick drop-off with a hug, kiss and a reassurance that you will be back is the best way to limit the level of drama. Preschool teachers will tell you that most children calm themselves and become distracted easily by the many activities going on around them in just a matter of minutes.

Bring a Comfort Item

If it is permitted by your day-care for your child to bring an item or toy with them to the centre, this is a great way to provide a little bit of comfort from home. A favourite toy, stuffed animal or even something belonging to the parent like a scarf or a necklace can give the child something to focus on for comfort when they are feeling unsure.

Daycares and preschools are a reality in today’s busy working world. Making sure that you have confidence in your choice of daycare provider, and preparing your child for the changes to come, can go a long way to making this family adjustment go much more smoothly.

**Collaborative post**