How to Make the Transition into Child Care Easier for Everyone

You’ve spent countless hours researching child care centres in Surrey, visiting, asking questions, and ensuring the centre’s practices and policies align with your parenting style. But as your child’s first day approaches, you might find yourself dealing with another worry- how will your little one adjust to a full-time child care centre?

For many children, their first experience being away from their parents will be at a childcare centre. Some children handle the transition well, while others take time to warm up to unfamiliar caregivers. Parents too often find the transition to childcare challenging.

To make the transition easier for everyone, here are a few ways to prepare your child and yourself for their first big day!

1. Visit the Child Care Centre Together

Whether your child accompanies you on your initial visit to their new child care centre or not, make sure you take time to familiarize them with the centre before their first day. Most child care centres in Surrey recommend a transition period. This typically includes time where you’ll stay with your child at the centre and gradually increasing periods where you’ll leave your child with their caregivers, eventually leading up to their first full day.

If you are returning to work, ensure your child’s first day does not coincide with your return.

2. Prepare Your Child at Home

There are also ways you can ready your little one for child care by exploring the idea at home. Talk to your child about the care centre they’ll be attending, and what their day will be like, emphasizing all the fun activities they’ll be doing and other kids they’ll meet to play with.

Several toddler-friendly books are available to help introduce the topic of a child care centre. Some parents choose to leave their littles with a small memento, like a picture or stuffed animal, that they can turn to if they are ever missing home.

3. Give Yourself Lots of Extra Time

Preparing yourself and your child for daycare in the morning will take more time than you think. As everyone adjusts to the new routine, try to give yourself lots of extra time so that the drop-off at the child care centre isn’t rushed. You want the experience to be positive for both of you, and in the beginning, it may take a little more time for your child to settle.

4. Make the Most out of Your Time Together

Transitioning into a child care centre is a change for everyone, but one of the best ways to ensure success is by making the most of your time with your child outside of their care centre. Dedicated family time will help reinforce the parent-child bond and give your little one something to look forward to. Not only that, but the memories you make will give them something to hold on to and share while at their childcare centre.