As a mother, you build a very strong bond with your baby; during the first few months, being apart can cause anxiety, yet as time passes, we understand that we have to learn to let go. At around 5 years of age, a child is ready to start exploring the wide world and that begins with daycare, which prepares the child for kindergarten.
If the time is fast-approaching for your son/daughter to attend the local daycare centre, here are a few tips to help prepare mum and child.
- Talk with your child about the childcare centre – The more a young child knows about a future event, the more comfortable they are. Let them know you will both visit the centre to see what it is like and this will eliminate any fear or anxiety; some children do not take to new environments immediately and preparing them is a wise move. The best childcare in Toowoomba is only a web search away and taking your offspring when you tour the facility is wise.
- Visit the daycare centre – Take your child (make a booking) to the centre at a time when the children are there; this will allow your child to witness the fun the kids are having and that removes anxiety. Indeed, the result is usually that the child is keen to attend as soon as possible.
- Change their routine – Once you find out the daycare centre routine, you can make adjustments, such as sleep time, meals and snacks, which will make the transition that much easier. Start by changing snack time to align with daycare and you can also do that with nap time.
- Do some research on the daycare centre – Choosing the right daycare centre is obviously important; check out their Facebook page and read all the comments, you can join local Facebook young mums' groups and engage with other parents. If there are issues, they will be revealed in these forums, plus you will get a few tips to help you with parenting. Click here for reasons a good preschool is important.
- Pack the night before – Pack their small backpack the day before, which acts as a reminder that they are going back to that fun place they visited recently. If your child is sensitive, why not suggest they take a favourite cuddly toy with them?
- Kids pick up on emotion – Children are highly developed when it comes to feeling your emotions; actually, this skill is gradually eliminated in Western society, which is not a good thing. If you are feeling anxious as you prepare Junior for the trip to the daycare centre, take a deep breath and be happy!
- Foster independence – If you were to define the role of a parent, it would be to make the child self-sufficient as soon as possible and that will be hindered if you continue to do everything for your child. It is natural to want to help, but we have to learn to let go, little by little. Of course, this must be within sensible limitations, balancing safety and self-learning can be difficult.
When you send your child to an early learning program, you will witness their development and be a proud parent.
