Gradual Entry is an important process that assists your child in making a smooth transition into our group. Caregiver(s) will work with each family to meet each child's needs in this regard. To help ease your child in, it's a good idea to leave your child for a only a few hours the first couple of days. If you child is over 18 months, taking your child to your work place for a visit helps them 'see' where their loved one will be while they are at Day Care.
Help prepare your child by telling her/him that you will be going to work and that she/he will go to Child Care. Share as much information about the Child Care arrangement as you can with your child.
Drop Off Transition: Keeping a morning routine at home and not rushing your child to get ready can make all the difference in how your child will react to being dropped off. A cheery confident good-bye with the assurance of return on time will facilitate this important transition time. Tell your child when you will return: a few minutes, an hour, after lunch, before supper or whatever you expect, be accurate, if you will not be back for hours do not say you will be back soon. By having a positive attitude in the morning when you are dropping off your child will help them with their adjustment.
Separation anxiety is natural and each child will experience it in varying degrees. Some children may come into the Centre with happy curiosity and may ignore you and others may protest, cry or scream. These are all normal reactions. Reassuring your upset child and telling them how much you love them and letting them know how much fun they will have, will help make the transition easier for you and more importantly for your child. Tell them you will be back, say good-bye and make your departure, lingering is ok the first day, but after that, if you decide to linger, you may expect to have a very clingy child. From my experience, lingering causes the transition period to take a longer time. I know how hard it is to drop off a child in care, I experienced it with my oldest, the first day I dropped her off, I started crying in the car and had to pull over. Don't let them see you upset, it will only make it more difficult to drop off the next time....trust me. Wait until your in bed or chatting with your friend.
If you plan on returning early for a visit, plan on taking your child with you, as they will not understand why you are leaving without them.
Pick Up Transition: When picking up your child let them know how glad you are to see them and that you want to hear about their day. Your child may be excited to see you, cry, be mad at you or not even acknowledge your presence. Each reaction is normal and you should not take any negative reaction personally. Your child may be tired from a fun filled busy day so please try to not plan any new activities for your child during their first week or two. They may get overstimulated and need a bit of extra wind-down time at home and more importantly time with you.
Daily Transition: Like I mentioned, the first month of enrollment is not a good time to start anything new. That includes Potty Training, Weaning or removing any comfort items such as soothers, blankets, stuffies, etc. If possible start at least a month before your child's first day and at least 2-3 months after their successful transition into the daycare. By then they should be ok at drop off, adjusting well to our routine and if applicable; napping well.
On occasion some children may take longer to adjust, especially if they have only been with one main caregiver. Be prepared for what may be the end of their world in their eyes. The goal is to make sure you are both happy, by taking it slow and not rushing in to drop off your child. No matter how late for work you are, say goodbye slowly. If not it might make the next time worse. Give yourself lots of time in the morning just in case traffic is bad.
Seeing that sweet little happy to see you face will eventually come, just give it time.
