Day care is a great big step for young kids as they take the plunge into exploring more of what the world can offer. As parents, our role is to prepare our kids for this exciting new experience. This is the time to give them our support and love. Here’s a list of ways to help prepare your child for daycare.
Meet the Daycare Teacher
If possible, let your child meet the teacher ahead of time. Get to know the caregivers that will tend to the children at the daycare center. Teachers play an important role in your child’s life as they become their new authority figures and role models. As you meet with the teachers, let the children explore the center that they will be going to. Tour the school and the playgrounds. Let them get used to the new environment. This will help when school starts, as they will already be familiar with the surroundings.
Create morning and bedtime routines and stick with them
Routines give children a sense of reassurance and normalcy. Morning routines start with waking the kids an hour before school. This will allow enough time for them to prep, get dressed and have breakfast. Routines help children learn how to be organized and how to value the essence of time.
For their bedtime routine, things like taking a bath, changing into their pajamas, brushing their teeth, reading bedtime stories and saying their prayers can be therapeutic. Don’t forget to give them hugs and wish them a good night and a peaceful sleep.
Don’t take communication for granted
Children, however young they are, understand how your actions and feelings. If they see that you are anxious about school, they probably will be also. If they are scared of going to school, reassure them that it’s okay to feel afraid of something new. Remind them that there are adults in the school that will help them and be there for them. Talk to the teachers at the daycare about how your child behaves in class. Ask them how they are adjusting to the environment and with the other kids. After school, talk to your child about what they did during the day, about what they learned, about what toys they’ve played with and who they made friends with.
Read to your children
Reading is something humans do every day of their lives. Some may develop a love for books, some may just read for necessity. It is recommended that parents read to their children to expose them to books early. Reading to children may foster their love of reading and will enhance their vocabulary. Books are powerful and develop children’s imagination and creative thinking. Read books to your children, whether in school or at home during bedtime. Teach them the beauty of reading and let it help them grow into someone you can be proud of.
Avoid over-preparing
Parents want their children to be prepared for what comes in the future. Some parents start telling them about school months in advance. While being prepared is a good thing, too much preparation might overwhelm the little ones. Talking to them about school weeks before is the ideal thing to do. Talk to them about school in a happy and upbeat manner so they will catch the excitement, too.
School is exciting. It’s a place to learn new things and a place to make new friends. When children attend daycare or preschool, it is a stepping stone in preparing them for formal education. Do your research and choose a daycare where you feel comfortable leaving your kids for a couple hours a day. Our daycare in San Antonio perhaps? Leaving your children in daycare may be daunting at first but the tips listed above will help you prepare for it. Good luck!