First Day at Daycare? 4 Survival Rules for Kids and Parents

It’s a popular scene on sitcoms: that very first day without parents, dropped off in a strange building with other kids and a smiling stranger who is not mommy. Tears and tantrums ensue.

Starting Daycare Can Be Scary for Both Parents and Child

Deborah Jepsen, a child psychologist who specializes in separation anxiety, calls this process “a milestone” for both the child and the parent. These 4 survival rules will help make it as pain-free an experience as possible.

1. Prep Is Essential – And It Can Be Fun

A major source of fear for toddlers during their first day at preschool or daycare is the sheer unfamiliarity of it. It’s best if parents introduce their little ones to the schedules and routines of preschool during the weeks before it starts.

A couple of visits or “guided tours” will take a lot of mystery from the equation, just like bedtime stories about preschool or by playing pretend at home, says the National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families. This way, the kid will know what to expect and may even grow excited about being a “big kid” now.

2. Be The Beacon of Serenity Your Child Needs

A three-year-old is very in touch with the feelings of people around them, points out D’Arcy Lyness from Kids Health. Many parents have their own anxieties about entrusting their child’s care to the hands of strangers, but it’s cardinal that they remain collected about it. Even the most adventurous kid who can’t wait to explore preschool will be wary if they see it’s worrying mommy and daddy.

 Get Your Timing Right: Ten Minutes Before the Bell Rings

Walking in, lunch box in hand, to a room full of strange children and loud parents can be overwhelming for a toddler. It’s best to arrive at least ten minutes earlier on the first day so the kid can have some alone time with his or her new teacher.

Furthermore, planning ahead for an early morning will help ensure that all the little details and new tasks required will get done, even if it may take a few weeks for the routine to truly set in.

4. It’s Showtime: Smile, Be Cool, Be Transparent

The key moment for surviving the first day of preschool is, of course, the moment of goodbye. It’s very important to keep calm when saying goodbye – it’s not unheard of for the parents to begin crying as well – and to keep a reassuring tone.

Under no circumstances should a parent lie and sneak away just to “avoid a scene”. The child needs to hear from their parent that they are not being abandoned: a short but warm “Bye now, I’ll pick you up for lunch” will do the trick.

There Are Experts Around to Help

All children go through this experience, and one way or another, they all survive. A licensed daycare center or kindergarten is a very safe place, and the teachers there have seen it all. If you need help finding the most suitable daycare option near in your area, try our Search function.