From childminder to daycare: This is how the change works
With the change from childminder to daycare, a new, exciting phase of life begins for our children. In many children, however, this change also triggers excitement and insecurity. Here are some tips to help you settle in without stress and tears.
Given this change, it’s understandable that our little ones are a little unsettled. After all, we would be too if we were in their place.
Get to know the day care center at a taster session
Fortunately, neither our children nor we ourselves are thrown in at the deep end when we move to daycare. At so-called taster sessions, children and parents have the opportunity to gather first impressions of the future day-care center. These dates are especially important for children as they can get to know their future playmates and primary caregivers. These dates are also very helpful for the educators so that they can better assess the children later on.
But you also have the opportunity to talk to the educators and clarify any open questions during a taster session:
- What are the exact procedures in the day care center?
- Are there certain rules that the children have to follow?
- Do I have to give my child food every day or will it be taken care of in the day care center?
- Does my child need certain things (such as rubber boots or gym gear) to run around in the daycare center?
- Can you bring your own toys?
- …
You will get answers to all these questions and many more during a taster session. That also gives you security.
Integrate the topic of daycare into everyday life
In addition, you should try to integrate the topic of daycare into your everyday life. This makes the new phase of life more tangible for your child and it can prepare much better for the new situation.
This can be done, for example, with a calendar in which your child can open a small door every day (similar to an Advent calendar filled with chocolate) or with a large coloring picture in which your child can fill another field with color every day . There are no limits to your creativity.
It can also help to walk by the day care center regularly and walk the path together. This gives security and allows a certain routine to develop through practice. If you can see from the outside how nicely the children play with each other or that there is exciting play equipment on the daycare grounds, this will fuel your child’s anticipation.
Reading together – or rummaging through – picture books that explain how to start kindergarten or daycare can also help to awaken happy expectations and at the same time reduce fears.
If you fear that the farewell will turn out to be more emotional than expected, it is helpful to give your child a kind of “anchor”, an emotional support, to bridge the pain of the separation. This can be, for example, a joint photo that reminds your child of a nice experience or a beloved cuddly toy that can dry all tears.
The familiar creates security and relieves tension. Emotional support also helps the educator to find a suitable approach to your child and to talk to him about his fears. In this way, your child can be optimally comforted and calmed down in difficult situations.