Preparing Your Child for Care
Consider your child’s temperament, age, and prior
child care experience when looking at ways to prepare him or her for child care. Some
ideas to help prepare your child include:
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Visiting the program with your child before care
begins to meet the teachers, see the rooms and playground, and play with the
toys and other children |
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Finding out as much information as you can about the
program beforehand, so that you can answer your child’s questions about
what to expect |
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Talking to the provider/teachers about how they
transition children into the program, and telling your child exactly what
will happen during the transitional days |
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Reading books with your child about starting child
care, or about new experiences in general |
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Making a family photo book with your child that she
can take with her to child care for comfort and reassurance |
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Talking to other parents who have recently
transitioned their children into care for ideas on how to make it as smooth
as possible |
If you are leaving one program to begin care at another,
make sure your child has the opportunity to say goodbye to the provider and the
other children. Decide how you’ll stay in touch with them, through photos,
letters, etc.
Adjusting to Child Care
Both children and parents will feel the hardship of
separating from one another, and feelings of fear and loss are common during
this period of adjustment. Here are some things to consider as your child begins
a new care experience:
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Always say goodbye to your child before leaving him
or her
at child care. |
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Reassure her that you will be back at the end of the
day, or let her know who will pick her up, and at what time. Try not to drag
out your goodbye -- and never try to slip out without saying good-bye. |
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It’s common for children to adapt to a new
provider or program quickly, then later have feelings of separation anxiety. |
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Understand that it may take a few months for your
child to adjust completely. You may see signs of “regression” during
these months (for example, with toilet training or thumb-sucking). Soon, it
will all become routine! |
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Your child may experience disturbances in sleep or
eating patterns. |
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Older infants (6 to 12 months old) may have
heightened stranger-anxiety at
this stage of development; just be aware that the adjustment may be more
difficult at this time. |
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Make sure your provider or teachers have a number to
reach you at during the day. Talk to them about the best time for you to
call them to check in during the first few days or weeks of care. |
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Place a short and sweet note in your child’s
backpack or lunch bag. |
The End of the Day Transition
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The end of the day can be a hectic time for
everyone: parents are thinking about dinner preparation, providers and
teachers are helping with goodbyes and clean up, and children are involved
with activities. Here are a few things you can do to manage the transition
from child care to home: |
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Greet your child first thing! Show him or her that you’re
happy to see her, perhaps with a big hug. |
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Greet your child’s teachers and check in with them
on how your child’s day went. This will give you a good sense of his or her
general mood, if he or she is feeling well, and if there is anything you need to
know. |
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If your child is in the middle of an activity, or if
he or she is playing with other children, give him or her a few minutes to finish up.
Tell him or her how long he or she has before he or she needs to say goodbye to
his or her friends and
go home. |
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Some children may be reluctant to leave, and may
even ignore your arrival. If your child refuses to leave, stay calm and be
firm; sometimes this may entail picking him or her up and bringing him or her out to the
car. |
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Have a small snack in the car for the ride home,
especially if it’s a long ride.
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