The first of anything is a challenge and at times very difficult so when the first day of daycare quickly approaches for my Mister Marley, I was nervous. I can honestly say that I was beyond nervous. His father and I began our hunt a month before but all the preparation in the world could actually prepare us for the livings of the first day of care for our first born.
The thought of placing my Mister in the care of complete strangers sent chills down my spine. All of my worries and fears appeared long before I pull along the curb to get him out and on his way and then every horror story about daycare I had ever heard was remembered and began flooding my mind… children crying, screaming, falling out and just plain fainting, made me shudder... But, Mister showed us and didn’t shed a single tear. He made his father and me proud parents! I don't even think he look our way when we left the room. His father and I couldn't have asked for a [more] perfect child.
To others who will have a first day of anything, here are SEVEN tips from someone who has undergone
(1) Be Calm: Kids pick up on the stress parents and caregivers experience. Many parents upset, worried, fearful and stressed about dropping their children off for the first time and during the first few weeks. There is a perfectly normal and natural but it is best to learn to control your emotions so that the child does not feel them as well.
(2) Make drop off time a happy time: Be sure to get in lots of snuggles, kisses, and happy voices before you take them in and leave them. Talk to your child and remind them that when you come back to get them you’ll play with them and snuggle some more.
(3) Call for Information: If you feel the need to call and check on your child, go ahead. But remember that it can be hard on the staff if you do it several times a day. Make sure your daycare is providing you with a daily report, who, what, when, where, and why of what child does during the day; IT HELPS YOU!
(4) Watch your teacher or caregiver with the children: See how the teacher or caregiver reacts when you drop your child off. Are they warm and welcoming? Do you feel or see them comforting babies that are upset? Are they taking the extra time needed for infants? How many people are in the room?
(5) Make pick up time a happy time, but not too happy: Don't over compensate for being gone. Be happy to see your child, talk lovingly to her or him; snuggle and yes, spend that extra time reading a book or playing toys or tummy time in the floor when you get home.
(6) Evaluate your expectations: Are your expectations too high? Remember if you are in a daycare center setting your child will be one of a few getting attention. You cannot expect that your child will receive the majority or all of the attention that they received with you one on one. They can still receive quality care even if they have to wait a few extra minutes to get a bottle. After all, how often do you drop everything to address their needs?
(7) Listen to your intuition: there is nothing like it in the world especially when it comes to our children. If after a couple of weeks or even a few days you don't see improvement, then maybe this is not the right child care arrangement for you. If it is not, you need to find other arrangements both for your child's well being, your job security and your piece of mind to make changes.
The thought of placing my Mister in the care of complete strangers sent chills down my spine. All of my worries and fears appeared long before I pull along the curb to get him out and on his way and then every horror story about daycare I had ever heard was remembered and began flooding my mind… children crying, screaming, falling out and just plain fainting, made me shudder... But, Mister showed us and didn’t shed a single tear. He made his father and me proud parents! I don't even think he look our way when we left the room. His father and I couldn't have asked for a [more] perfect child.
To others who will have a first day of anything, here are SEVEN tips from someone who has undergone
(1) Be Calm: Kids pick up on the stress parents and caregivers experience. Many parents upset, worried, fearful and stressed about dropping their children off for the first time and during the first few weeks. There is a perfectly normal and natural but it is best to learn to control your emotions so that the child does not feel them as well.
(2) Make drop off time a happy time: Be sure to get in lots of snuggles, kisses, and happy voices before you take them in and leave them. Talk to your child and remind them that when you come back to get them you’ll play with them and snuggle some more.
(3) Call for Information: If you feel the need to call and check on your child, go ahead. But remember that it can be hard on the staff if you do it several times a day. Make sure your daycare is providing you with a daily report, who, what, when, where, and why of what child does during the day; IT HELPS YOU!
(4) Watch your teacher or caregiver with the children: See how the teacher or caregiver reacts when you drop your child off. Are they warm and welcoming? Do you feel or see them comforting babies that are upset? Are they taking the extra time needed for infants? How many people are in the room?
(5) Make pick up time a happy time, but not too happy: Don't over compensate for being gone. Be happy to see your child, talk lovingly to her or him; snuggle and yes, spend that extra time reading a book or playing toys or tummy time in the floor when you get home.
(6) Evaluate your expectations: Are your expectations too high? Remember if you are in a daycare center setting your child will be one of a few getting attention. You cannot expect that your child will receive the majority or all of the attention that they received with you one on one. They can still receive quality care even if they have to wait a few extra minutes to get a bottle. After all, how often do you drop everything to address their needs?
(7) Listen to your intuition: there is nothing like it in the world especially when it comes to our children. If after a couple of weeks or even a few days you don't see improvement, then maybe this is not the right child care arrangement for you. If it is not, you need to find other arrangements both for your child's well being, your job security and your piece of mind to make changes.
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