At some point in your child’s life, they may have to make the transition of spending all of their time at home with you to going to daycare during the day. For some children, this transition comes early, especially if both parents work full-time jobs. Other children may spend the first year or two at home before they start going to daycare. If you’re thinking about having your child start daycare or preschool, then you may be asking yourself if they will be able to handle the change. In today’s post, we will provide you with a few helpful tips that will give you an idea of how to help prepare your child for their first day of daycare.
Sunshine Starts is proud to offer parents of Yorktown Heights with affordable daycare that will help their little ones learn and grow. Our early childhood education programs cater to your child’s needs and encourage them to interact with their environment and learn through play. Doing so helps to stimulate a life-long love for learning that will help them succeed as they get older. Learn more about our programs, and give us a call to schedule a tour of our child care center!
Set a Positive Tone
Most people do not like the idea of change when they first hear about it, and kids are no exception. While taking your child to daycare may allow you to make adjustments to your schedule so that you can go back to work or get more things done, your little one may see the change as something negative.
Remain open to the idea that your child may not like the idea of going to daycare, and instead of letting their feelings get to you, give them time to adjust and make sure you set a positive tone for what they can expect. Instead of making it sound like they will be sent away from home, tell them about all of the new friends they will make and all of the toys they will get to play with.
Start Slow
If you already have a daycare center in mind, see if they will give you the opportunity to start out on a part-time basis. While some kids may be able to easily transition from being at home all day to going to daycare all day, others may have a hard time adjusting. If your daycare center offers part-time care, then start out slow and have your little one start going only for half of a day at first. You may eventually find that they are enjoying themselves so much that they don’t want you to take them home!
Plan a Visit
Prior to your child’s first day at daycare, set up a visit where you and your little one can see the classroom and possibly meet the teacher. Not only will this give you the opportunity to see where your little one will be spending all of their time, but it will also help your child feel more familiar with the space before they start meeting some of the other children. This will also allow you to get a feel for the teacher and determine whether or not they will be a good fit your child.
Give Them a Comfort Item
If your little one is having trouble going to daycare because they miss home while they are away, then try to make the new change a little easier for them by sending them to daycare with an item from home. You can send them with anything from an item of clothing to a photograph of your family. Having this item will give your little one something to look at or hug when they are missing home, and it may make it easier for them to make it through the day. Even if your child isn’t showing signs of homesickness, you can always send them with something just in case, as you never know when they may start to miss home.
Enroll Today at Sunshine Starts!
If you are considering enrolling your child in daycare or preschool, then look no further than Sunshine Starts! We offer early childhood education programs for pre-toddlers, toddlers, and preschoolers, as well as infant care. Our friendly staff has years of training in child care, giving you peace of mind that your child is in good hands. Learn more about our curriculum, and contact our Yorktown Heights early childhood education center to schedule a tour.
[gravityform id=”2″ title=”false” description=”false”]
