Preparing for daycare

Beginning daycare is a HUGE milestone for children and their parents. It can be incredibly stressful but also rewarding. 

We want to acknowledge that here in our home of Nova Scotia, child care availability is a huge issue. We feel for those dealing with child care issues at the moment and want you to know that whatever you choose to do is best for your family.

Here are a few tips to hopefully make the transition just a tiny bit easier for you and your little one.

First, make a list of questions to ask the daycare provider. The answers to these will depend on the type of facility (daycare vs day home, etc.) but it’s good to have this info regardless.

Top 4 questions:

1. What does the daily routine look like and is there flexibility? This will give you a good idea of how your child’s day will look, if they are willing to accommodate different nap schedules, what food is/isn’t provided, etc 
   
2. What safety and communication tactics do you have in place? Ease your mind by knowing ahead of time what is in place to keep your child safe and how you’ll be communicated with regularly. 
   
3. What degrees/certifications does your provider and their staff have?
   
4. What kind of policies do you have for drop off/pick up, sick kids and sick time, etc. Be as prepared as possible by asking about all your provider's policies so you’re not surprised by anything. 
   
   

Now, here are three tips to help your little get used to the idea of starting daycare. Keep in mind that the age they’re starting will determine how effective these tips are. But the majority of kids in NS start between 12 and 18 months old. 

1. Do a couple of half days/introductions: start slow and drop in for a couple of hours with you little so they can begin getting used to the idea of daycare 
   
2. Include a familiar item in their daycare bag: if they have a blanket, stuffy or special item that they are attached to, allowing them to bring it to daycare can help them feel comfortable in a new setting 
   
3. Talk about daycare positively: this new chapter is a little scary for mom and baby, but try to ensure all daycare talk is positive. You being excited will help them be excited! 
   
   

We can’t forget the parents! Here are a couple of tips to help parents cope with this huge change:

1. Go easy on yourself. If you need to cry after drop off - cry. If you’re relieved to have time away from the baby, that’s ok too. There are a lot of emotions during this stage. Feel them all!
   
2. Stay busy. If you’re going back to work, you’ll likely be distracted as you ease back into your work. If you’re not, try to stay busy doing things for you during the first few days of daycare. 
   
   

Trusting someone else with your child is hard. The only thing that makes it easier is time. Starting daycare has many benefits for you and your child, but we know it’s a very difficult transition - especially these days. We hope the above tips provide just a tiny bit of relief! Good luck!

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