The transition to daycare

I’ll never forgot the day we transitioned our daughter over to daycare and it’s been something I’ve really been thinking about as we are preparing to transition our son over now. For our daughter, it was a tough first few days as she went from having the constant attention of both parents (my wife and I both had mat/pat leave), to neither of us. She was always fairly social as we exposed her to other children and adults through playgrounds and events, but she struggled without her parents. 

To be honest, I was a bit surprised at how difficult it was. Here I thought that she would be all about it, as now she was going to get to play with a ton of kids her age, in a great space, with good adult staff looking after her. There were tons of things to explore, and she would make friends doing it. Well, I was right, but it took a few days for her to adjust.

Adjustment should be the expectation and parents should be ensuring their children are emotionally, socially, and physically ready for daycare/childcare life. Remember, your little human only knows you and your home (for the most part), so it’s a lot on them. But they are resilient and can adjust to it with your support quickly. Here are some great tips to help.

Talk about daycare with your child

When you and your partner start discussing daycare and have picked a location you should start bringing it up with your child too. This is not age specific, as I realize not everyone is dropping off their child at a certain age point. So whether you have an infant, a toddler, or a preschooler, you should be talking about daycare and telling them that this is a fun experience where they will get to learn and play.

Visit the location with your child

You should be doing a visit at the daycare you have chosen before you send your child there anyway. But it is also a great idea to swing by with your child before the first day and show them where they will be going. Most daycares will allow you to show your child the toys and activities in a room and let them check it out so they know what they will be able to utilize when there.

Be prepared

Depending on how old your child is when you are dropping them off for the first time, they might need certain things. For example, consider if you need diapers, wipes, a favorite bedtime snuggle buddy, or blanket are just some of the things you might want to have on hand for them. Your daycare location will probably provide you a list of what they recommend bringing and having on hand at the facility. Also ensure that your child is prepared for the weather so consider if they need a coat, raingear, mitts, hats, etc.

Expect tears

Your child will cry on the first day, and it is going to be hard. From talking to staff at our daycare, it is easily the hardest part of childcare on parents. Keep in mind this is also a difficult transition for your child and keep your emotions for when you get outside. It is important to be cheerful when you walk in with your child, so they understand it is a safe place. IF they cry, do your best to comfort them and let them know when you will be back. They usually stop crying quickly once you leave and they start exploring. The staff are your facility will be trained on how to handle this and will call you if they are unable to do so.

Don’t stay too long

In general, you don’t want to be there for more than 5 minutes or so for the first few months. When I drop my daughter off, I am there for maybe 2-3 minutes now. I realize this may sound harsh but the longer you stay the more anxiety you build up for your child. Your departure should be an appropriate amount of time for you to walk them in, help them get their clothes/shoes swapped (if they still need help with that), give them a hug and a kiss, let them know when you will be back and a goodbye. For the first few days, it is appropriate to stay 20-30 minutes to help them with adjustment to daycare by checking out toys, sitting with them for a morning snack or helping them meet their friends in the room.

Pick them up early

At least for the first few days you should arrange it so that you can pick them up early. Adapting to a daycare life is hard work and your child is going to be extra tired the first few days. They will also probably be having lots of fun so getting them a bit early before they are too tired, and still having fun will help build that desire to want to return.

Goodluck!