How to Feel Comfortable Sending Your Child to Daycare

It is never easy to take your child out of the house and place them in daycare. It has to be done for various reasons. The parent who took care of them goes back to work. Or, you want them to learn social skills before they enter preschool. Over five million children were enrolled in some form of pre-primary daycare or education in 2018.

Fortunately, it doesn't have to be all tears and worry. There are good options to send your child to an outside care center with some ease. Here are a few ways to feel comfortable sending your child to daycare.

Make A Visit

It sounds obvious, but this is a critical component to make you feel comfortable. You can take suggestions from friends and family about the daycare they like. Also, you can look at their website. Those aren't the equivalent of a visit.

An in-person appearance allows you to get the lay of the land. You see how the rooms are divided, how many kids are in each area, and what they do during various parts of the day. It also provides a baseline look at the staff and how they handle everyday tasks.

Speak To The Director

This is another in-person operation. A phone or video call might provide the necessary information, but a face-to-face talk reveals much more. It shows you the director's organization and personnel skills. Plus, it gives you an opportunity to see how they react to various questions or comments.

During this in-person visit, don't be afraid to ask the most important questions you and your partner have. This includes educational experience, certifications, and opinions on childcare. If a daycare director isn't willing to provide those answers, then it's best to go somewhere else. You want to work with someone who talks to you than at you when they answer the questions.

Ask For A Trial Experience

This could work or backfire depending on your child's attachment levels. If they've been able to be with someone else with little fear, the request for a trial experience should work. On the other hand, if your child doesn't let go of your leg, then this is something to bypass, or not.

The mark of an outstanding daycare staff is how they handle children with separation anxiety. If they have the proper training and patience, they should be able to re-direct your child's attention away from you.

Training Schedules

Along with the trial experience, you need to discover how the caregivers are trained. Per state and federal regulations, certification is required for the director so the daycare center can remain open. However, that person can't be the only one who takes classes.

The caregivers also need to be certified in various operations. They aren't able to get a job without a college degree, but it doesn't mean their learning should stop. Like you did with the director, don't be afraid to ask them about their certifications.

Prepare Your Child For The Journey

This is truly a journey for your child. It's the next step in their path to learning more. So, you want to prepare them, no matter how old they are.

You can speak to an older child about this next experience. When you do, leave room for them to ask questions. Also, let them help get ready for daycare

Let them select a lunch bag and backpack. Have them write their name on some personalized stick-on clothing labels that come from companies like Namebubbles. Let them pick out their outfit for the first day.

This can increase your child's excitement for the moment. As a result, their fear might diminish.

Don't Dawdle

Once your child is dropped off, don't hang around to see what happens. There's a good possibility they'll see you out of the corner of their eye. When they do, they'll either run to you or ask for you to stay. This will prevent them from proper separation.

Instead, see if the daycare center has an observation room with a one-way mirror. This way, you can watch your child's progress for a bit without them knowing. Even if you're not noticed, don't spend too much time here.