13May
Preparing yourself and your child for daycare doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact, there are plenty
of things you can do beforehand in order to make the transition as smooth as possible.
The first and perhaps the most obvious thing to do is to visit the day care facility with your child
before their first day. Many centres will offer introductory sessions where you can go and help
familiarise your child with the facility and the staff. If possible, try to visit the centre more than
once before your child’s first day. This will not only help your child feel more comfortable, but it
will also help put your own mind at ease when you eventually have to leave them there.
Another way to ease the transition is to adapt your child’s napping and eating schedule based
on what happens at the daycare centre. You don’t have to completely change their routine
abruptly, but try slowly shifting their nap and meal times closer to what they will be doing at
daycare.
Getting your child used to a little independence will also help them to adapt to their new
surroundings. As the staff will most likely be taking care of multiple children at once, your child
will need to get used to not being the sole focus of an adult’s attention. In older children, getting
them to put on their own clothes & shoes and washing their hands before a meal on their own is
a great way to teach independence. In younger children, just getting them used to playing by
themselves rather than having your undivided attention is a great step.
