Advice on getting used to daycare

Getting used to day-to-day daycare is different for every child

The reaction and behavior when your child goes to daycare for the first time depends heavily on the age and character of your child. Many children can be left alone with the educators in the group after just a few days. Other children, on the other hand, continue to ask for their parents to be present for weeks.

How to adjust to daycare

It’s also not easy for the parents when their child is suddenly no longer at home all day. Here are a few tips that you should take to heart when settling into daycare:

• “Open Day”: Getting used to the day-care center usually begins with the “Open Day”. This offers you and your child the opportunity to take a close look at the new environment, the educators and other children. When the first day of daycare comes, the new environment is no longer so strange.
• Organized settling in: Many day care centers have a pedagogical settling in concept. In practice, this means that one parent comes to the day care center for one to two weeks and the child gets used to a teacher as a new caregiver. In addition, the child is initially only in the care of the day care center for about two hours. The duration of care is increased as soon as it has settled in. In our article on the “ Berlin Model ” you can also find out about another method of acclimatization.
• Start the day: Make sure that you and your child have enough time every morning and that there is no stress. This ritual helps your child to prepare for the following hours in daycare.
• Talisman: It comes in handy when your child takes their favorite stuffed animal or toy to daycare. It helps many children, for example, with their afternoon nap. However, you should discuss this with the educators beforehand, as some facilities have set days when little ones are allowed to bring their favorite teddy bear or toy.
• Availability: You should always be available by phone, especially in the early days. On the one hand, you can always call and ask how your child is doing if you are unsure. On the other hand, your child learns in this way that they can rely on you and that you will come back if there are problems.
• Reliability: Always tell your child where you are going and when you will be back. Even more important: Stick to the agreement made! If you promised your child to pick them up after lunch, then be on time. In this way, your child learns that it can rely on your word.
• Saying goodbye: Never leave without saying goodbye to your child. This could give your offspring the impression of being left behind. The next time it will stay even closer to you, so that you don’t simply go unnoticed again. When separating, it is also important that you say goodbye quickly. Even if it’s difficult for you because your child is crying – don’t comfort it for too long, because such farewell scenes only make it worse.