Top tips ... settling in childcare

This little piggy went to nursery ...

I don’t think there are many mums that don’t go through the wringer at least a bit when their child first starts in childcare whether at nursery or with a child-minder or nanny.  It’s not that you’re not convinced of the benefits for your child and for your family as a whole and for you personally, but for most children it’s the first major transition in their lives and it’s hard because transitions are hard! And it’s just so hard for you as a mum to watch them struggle!  

Looking back now there are a whole load of things - all included in this top tips for settling in childcare - that will make it easier, such as:

• Getting them used to group play sessions before they start
• Getting them used to being left for short periods before they start
• Getting them used to being fed by other adults
• Getting any essential changes like weaning or potty training out of the way well in advance
• Starting childcare a few weeks before you're due back at work
• Arranging "play dates" with children who will be there to increase number of familiar faces
• Having an extended visit in advance where you both get down and play 
• Reading stories and talking about and looking at pictures of children in childcare
• Trying not to prolong goodbyes if screaming
• And there are lots more ideas in the full list

 The other big thing I wished I'd known in advance was that there would be ups and downs - children can go for months as happy as Larry, barely giving you a goodbye as they scoot off to play and then suddenly a day or even a week or even more when they're suddenly upset and either they just don't want you to leave or they just don't want to go to nursery full stop.  And you have to go back through the heart wrench of leaving a screaming child all over again - my daughter went to nursery when she was 8 months and seemed to be very happy but got very upset when she went into "main room" when she was 2 and then got upset about going again when she was potty training.

This morning, even though she'd been shouting about not going in because she wanted to climb on a wall that I said we didn't have time to do, as soon as we were through the door, she zoomed off to play  not even stopping for a moment for a kiss and a goodbye!

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