Your child has started daycare and every morning it's a crying fit. He clings to you and doesn't want to let you go. Wondering how to do it?
You are just as upset as he is by his pain and you are certainly wondering how to make the morning separations go smoothly…
Mom feels good, baby feels good
The first thing to remember is that children are real little emotional sponges. If you don't feel good about leaving him at daycare, it will be that much more difficult for him. This is why it is important to have good communication with the daycare center and the educator, which will help you create a bond of trust and at the same time secure your child.
Certain ages are also more difficult: the period from 8 to 12 months, when the child experiences a fear of strangers and cries as soon as his parent leaves his field of vision, can be a more critical period for daycare. We must therefore reassure the child, put words to his emotions, tell him that we will be back, situate him in time: "It's difficult, eh, my dear? You're in trouble… After the games, dinner, bedtime, I'll be there! »
Smooth integration…
Children react to change, it's true. But they also have a tremendous ability to adapt when you respect their pace. If your child started daycare with very long days, where he has to eat, sleep, play, that's a lot for him. We can therefore, as far as possible, and for a few weeks, reduce the daycare days and allow the child to gradually get used to this new routine.
The importance of rituals
A well-established routine and small rituals will also secure your child in this new adventure. So you can start talking about daycare as soon as you get up at home, explain to the child what will happen, what you will do during your day and what he will do during his. Once at daycare, a short but warm goodbye ritual will help your child better understand what is happening. A kiss, a hug, an "I love you" and we leave, in complete confidence. The “bye-bye” that drag on make the child experience a feeling of ambiguity: “Is she leaving or not, my mom? »
Of course, the first few days you can enter his room and spend a few minutes with him while he acclimatizes to his new environment, but once you go through the door, don't don't stay there and as much as possible, don't come back if you hear him cry. Rest assured, the educators are trained and equipped to deal with this type of situation and they will call you if the situation deteriorates. Don't worry, most of the time the crisis subsides within minutes of the parent leaving.
Transition object
Finally, a transition object can greatly help your little one through these difficult times. A little stuffed animal that he likes, a comfortable blanket, his pacifier or a small scarf with the smell of mom are all objects that will soothe him when he is in crisis. Several educators also have the brilliant idea of putting together small family albums, with photos of dad, mum, big sister and little dog, which they keep in the room and which will allow the child to resume contact with his bearings and to feel understood in his feeling of insecurity.
In short, there is no magic formula. Love, trust and a good dose of patience will ensure that the crises will gradually fade away and that the morning parting will pass in calm and happiness, for everyone!
