Day Care First-Timer: Tips On How To Help Your Child Adapt To Child Care Easily
A child can have a hard time adapting to the new environment at a childcare centre. It's important that you help your child to adapt to the new environs by getting involved in the process of orientation. Below are some essential guidelines you can use to prepare your child for child care and make the transition from home to child care easier for your child.
Start Preparing Early
It's advisable that you start preparing your child early for day care, so that the child doesn't tense and refuse to start off the program. So familiarize your child to the environment at the child care centre by taking your child for a visit before the program begins. The visit will help your child to feel comfortable when the time comes for him or her to start the day care sessions.
Also, the visit before the day care program begins will give your child the opportunity to interact with child carers who are in charge of the kids at the child care centre. It's also advisable to explain to your child why you're going for a visit at the day care centre. For instance, let your child know that he or she will be attending the day care centre during the day for so many hours.
Make the First Day Stress-free
Plan and organize yourself well on the first day, so that you can make the day stress-free for yourself and your child. If you seem disorganized and confused on the first day, your child might get scared and fail to adjust to the new environment easily.
You may want to pack your child's bag the night before you go to the day care centre, so that you can avoid running around the next morning. Once you get to the centre, it's best that you stay with your child for a while and help with settling in. For example, you can play with your child and the other kids for some time, so that your child finds it easy to interact with the new faces.
Make the Transition Gradual
Introducing your child to a child care program gradually is essential because it takes off the pressure your child will feel adapting to the new environment. A gradual transition involves starting off your child with short sessions at the day care centre. Once your child starts to adapt and familiarize with the new place and new faces, you can increase the duration of the sessions until your child gets comfortable spending a whole day or an entire afternoon at the day care centre.
For example, to gradually introduce your child to the day care centre, you may want to drop off your child at the centre whenever you go for shopping or for a short workout. The brief sessions may last for about an hour or two.
Your child may have a hard time learning how to stay at a day care centre the first time around. The tips above can help you prepare your child for day care sessions.
