New impressions
During the settling-in period, your child will come across all kinds of new impressions. Think of the other children, the Childcare Professionals, new smells, colours and sounds. Young children’s brains have not yet learnt how to filter impressions well. That is why it makes sense if your child feels tired after a day at childcare. During the settling-in period, you may notice that your child is more focused on you as a parent. Your child may also enter a clingy phase or suddenly become more sensitive. To make settling in as comfortable as possible for you and your child, we share tips for the first period at childcare.
5 tips for the first time settling into childcare
1. Get to know the Childcare Professionals and the branche
For both you and your child, it is nice to visit the branche beforehand. This helps your child become familiar with the environment and the other children in the group. It is also important to meet the Childcare Professionals in the group in advance. During an introductory meeting, they learn a lot about your child and your family, so they can respond in the right way. You can also discuss what to expect from the first settling-in moments. The settling-in period consists of a number of days during which your child stays in the group a little longer each time.
2. Show confidence
You can help your child during the first settling-in moments by radiating calm and confidence. When you show at drop-off that it is okay to go to childcare, your child will feel more confident too. Children are also often sensitive to their parents’ emotions. When you are positive and reassuring, your child will feel more comfortable too.
3. Create a familiar morning ritual
Although you know exactly what your diary looks like, your child has no idea what will happen that day. To help your child feel emotionally safe, you can structure these mornings in the same way. Make a ritual of the things that need to happen in the morning when you go to childcare. This creates familiarity, which helps your child feel at ease more quickly and makes the transition from home to childcare easier.
4. Respond to the senses
Young children develop mainly through their senses. This means they are very aware of smells, much more so than adults. That is why it can be comforting for your child to have something familiar at childcare. Especially when they go to childcare for the first time. Their own cuddly toy or a shirt you have worn can give them a strong sense of security.
5. Keep goodbyes simple
During settling-in days too, there comes a moment to say goodbye. We advise keeping the goodbye short and positive. Give a cuddle, say that you will come back and then leave with a smile. Try to avoid a long and emotional goodbye. This can make the transition harder. Is your child upset when you say goodbye? Show that you trust the Childcare Professionals and do not come back to take over or pick up your child.
It can also help your child to create a routine around saying goodbye. For example, by always saying goodbye with a kiss and telling your child that you are leaving and will come back, you build a ritual. This gives your child calm and familiarity.
Settling in takes time
It is hard to say in advance how your child will respond to their first time at childcare. This also depends on several factors. For example, your child’s age and temperament. How used your child already is to other children and places also plays a role. Does your child find it hard to deal with this new situation? Remember that every child adapts at his or her own pace.
At CompaNanny, we always look at the development and needs of each child, and we place great value on their emotional safety. Especially during the settling-in period, we pay extra attention to this.