subject: Preparing your Little One for the First Day at a Crèche [print this page] Preparing your Little One for the First Day at a Crche
When your little one is a year or two old, it is time for him to be introduced to the new routine, a day care centre or a crche. The first day at a preschool or a crche is a big one, not only for your child but also for you. It can be exciting as well as extremely terrifying for the little one. Therefore, it is advisable that you prepare your child for the big event over a period. The following tips may help you out to prepare your child for such a transition in his/her daily activities.
It is necessary to prepare your child for the D-day in advance. The child will be in the company of toddlers of the same age. The little one may enjoy the experience of mingling with the rest of the young lot or may hesitate to be a part of the crowd. Your baby might feel apprehensive at the beginning and may not feel comfortable amongst a crowd of strangers. You can begin by gradually orienting your child about the exciting adventure at a crche. However, be careful about not overdoing it as your child can take to it unfavourably.
You need to administer a sense of independence in your little one and occasionally leave them on their own. You can try to acclimatise them with the conditions in a crche by taking to them to different places where they are likely to meet new people or drop in at your friend's place.
Take your child to the crche quite a few times before the actual session begins. This would help them to get used to the ambiance at the crche.
Do the necessary bit of packing the night before as you might miss out the important things in a rush. You need to pack the kid's bag with a quick snack, comfort toys and a change of clothes. You can even ask your kid to help you out with the packing in order to reinforce the event that is coming up.
You need to label everything that your child needs. Other kids at the crche might have similar playthings and there are obvious chances of a mix up.
You need to ensure that all the formalities and paperwork is completed well in advance of the big day so that you can accompany your child all throughout the first day.
Most of the crches or childcare units have a settling in period. During this term, the child slowly gets used to the new environment. On the first day, you might have to stay in the same room watching your child do his/her own bit. You need to check the reaction of the little one whenever you step out of the room to respond to a phone call or for any other business. The child might get cranky whenever you are out of sight. You can check his/her reaction and see how they react to the efforts of the staff at the crche. At the end of the day, enquire about your child's first day experience at the centre and you will get an idea about how they feel.
