The transition from being home with mom or another closed group of relatives, to being outside in an unfamiliar place with strange faces around can be traumatic at first. This crucial step will build your child’s confidence and social interacting skills when properly administered. Let us discuss some tips for preparing your kid for his first experience of a daycare.
Ease into it
Barraging your child to a full-time daycare can be a drastic event in his life. Try to ease into it by introducing 2-3 days a week programs at first, giving the child time to adjust emotionally to this change. This approach of preparing your child for school can be fruitful and lead to an uneventful transition to full-time daycare.
Stay calm and do not subject your fears
Setting a positive tone is essential for both you and your child. A child can pick up your anxieties and fear of separation leading to rooted fears. Subjective fears and anxiety can be hard to eliminate. Set a positive attitude by trusting the caregiver and the facility as well as subjecting excitement instead of anxiousness. You can detail the experiences that your child will have in preschool to get him prepared for the big day.
Shopping
You and your child can get the excitement boosted by shopping for the big day. The energy and fun that comes with new and special purchases will build up the child’s confidence of going to daycare.
Send a comfort item from home
You can send a memento from home can help the child with separation anxiety. This can be a family photograph or a special toy. Many child psychologists suggest a comfort item such as your scarf to be given to the child to keep safe till you return. This will work towards creating a confidence that you will return and also keep the child calm.
Help your child settle in before you leave
Take a tour of the daycare with your child on the first day by arriving early and remember to say goodbye before you leave. Do not linger as this may distract the child and prolong separation anxiety. It is normal for the child to cry on the first day when you drop them off at daycare even though you have practiced all the preparatory methods. Do not tear up in front of your child and calm him down in a soothing tone. Promise him that you will be right here when he ends his day.
The first day of daycare is a stressful moment for the mother as well as the child. To reduce the separation anxiety and make sure your child gets a positive experience from the time he spends at daycare, you can adopt some preparatory methods.