Getting Your Child Ready For Daycare: What You Should Know

Is your child getting older and is ready to start a new chapter in their lives that includes socialization, interaction, and education? If so, daycare is a great solution! 

Daycare is so much more than it used to be and many providers actually use the term child care because we aren’t just letting them run around, we are providing an enriching experience that assists in their development during these crucial learning years! 

Depending on what provider you choose will determine the age of when your child can start a childcare program. For example, here at TLC Schools, we offer services for infants, toddlers, and young children from ages 6 weeks to 5 years old.

Whether you’re looking to provide a more educational environment for your child or if you work and need a safe and secure place for them while away from home, daycare programs are an excellent choice. 

So what do you need to do to help your child get ready for daycare? We’ve got some helpful tips for both parents and children below! 

Meet The Teachers

You may have already done your due diligence and researched the school and met the teachers’ yourselves, but it’s important for your child to meet them as well! 

Parent Tip: If you haven’t met the teacher yet yourself, read our helpful article, 4 Important Questions To Ask Your Preschool Teacher! 

We always stress “stranger danger” but then we drop them off on the first day with a person they’ve never met!

Many programs have a meet the teacher night where they spend time with the children and become familiar faces that they can recognize on their first day! 

Routines Are Key

Once you’ve decided that you’re sending your child to daycare, a key to helping them get ready for daycare is to create a routine! 

Bedtimes that were once all over the place should be taken more seriously so that they can go to sleep and wake up at the appropriate time! 

Waking a cranky toddler after only a few hours of sleep is not fun for anyone! 

Start the routine about a month before they go to school and if your program can provide you a schedule of what happens during the day you can feed them and let them rest around the same times! 

Work Through The Transition

Another important aspect of getting your child ready for daycare is to work through the transition. It’s going to be hard for both you and your child in the beginning but the earlier they get used to going to “school” the easier it is going to be! 

Are they going to cry? Yes. Are they going to want you to come back? Yes. 

But after about 2 weeks, it’s going to be smooth sailing! 

You just have to stay positive and encourage them as they go through this transition. They are leaving the comfort of their own home for the first time and are away from you for longer than before. 

Just like anything else in life, it’s going to be an adjustment! 

Communication with the teachers and your child is important during this transition as well because you can learn what they like to do during the day, and how to help them find the positives! 

Ask them what they did, and what they ate (even if you already know), and allow them to express their feelings good and bad! 

Pretty soon you’ll have a child who tells you EVERYTHING even if someone sneezed during class. 

Want More Tips On Getting Your Child Ready For Daycare? 

Here at TLC Schools in Plano, TX, we offer high-quality learning experiences with the help of our caring, certified teachers and award-winning curriculum. 

From infants to toddlers to pre-k kids, we’ve got a childcare program for everyone! To learn more about each specific classroom curriculum and to learn more about TLC schools, schedule an appointment and take a virtual tour!