How to prepare your child (& yourself) for drop off
As a parent of a young child, the drop off can sometimes feel like a whirlwind especially when you’re preparing your child for drop off. Establishing a smooth morning routine can help transition your child and set the right tone for their day.
Here are our top tips for creating a smooth and stress-free morning routine that prepares both you and your child for a successful daycare drop off.
Start the night before
A calm morning starts the night before! Make sure your child’s daycare bag is packed with all the essentials they need like nappies, a change of clothes, snacks and any of their favourite comfort items.
You may also want to lay out the clothes your child will wear the night before to make the morning more seamless. Involve your child in the outfit picking process so they feel included and excited about heading to their day at childcare.
Get up early
Feeling rushed will only add to the stress of the morning, instead, try to wake up early and give yourself ample time to get everything sorted in the morning. Waking up a bit earlier allows you to start your day off on the right foot, reducing the stress levels of you and your child.
This extra time in the morning may allow you to have breakfast together or go for a walk to calm your nerves before drop off.
Establish a routine
Children thrive with routines because they provide predictability, creatinge a morning routine that your child is familiar with so they know what to expect. Create a morning routine that includes things like brushing their teeth, getting dressed and having breakfast so that you can ease their transition from home life to day care.
Stay Calm
It might be tough, but children are really sensitive to parents’ emotions so making sure you stay calm is a great way to ensure your child stays calm. Stay calm and upbeat during the morning routine (even if you’re not feeling calm and upbeat) and your positive attitude will help to reassure your child that daycare drop off is a normal and exciting part of their day.
Set up a goodbye ritual
Create a consistent goodbye ritual that can reassure your child you’ll be there at the end of the day. It could be a long hug, a special phrase or a secret handshake that signals the start of their day care day.
Having a predictable goodbye routine helps to provide your child (and yourself) comfort and helps to ease separation anxiety.
Communicate with daycare staff
You’ll want to ensure open communication with daycare staff so that you are across what’s going on in your child’s day to day.
Share information with them like likes, dislikes or any recent factors that may impact their overall mood. Being able to work together ensures you and your child have a smooth transition from home to day care.
Choose Young Academics
At Young Academics, we pride ourselves on ensuring your child’s transition to school is as seamless as possible. You can work alongside our educators to ensure that your child (and you) both have a stress free transition.
Contact a member of our team today to find out more about our centres and how to enrol your child in Young Academics.
