Community› The Bump Message Boards› Attachment Parenting
Attachment Parenting
New Discussion

Gentle transition to daycare

RioG1978RioG1978 member
in Attachment Parenting

Would love to gather the experiences of others. :)

DD is 7 months and I'm in Canada, so she won't be going until mid-June (year long mat leave).  I have arranged daycare with a licensed in-home provider, so she will be in a private home with 4 other children, ranging from a one year old to 3-4 year olds.  Some structure, but mostly just a safe environment where play is encouraged and they spend a lot of time outdoors.

Anyway, I wouldn't consider the provider "AP" but she seems very loving with the kids.  Her thought was not to prolong the transition by doing a day here and a day there, but just pull the bandaid off so to speak and go.

But the more I think of it the more I want a slow transition, so I was thinking over the course of a week or two gradually increase her time there.  Start with an hour/day until we work up to the full day of 8 - 4:30. 

 Anyone who has done this, what are your thoughts?  Did it help your child to make the transition more easily? 

Report Reply to Post

Re: Gentle transition to daycare

  • aglennaglenn member
    I would play it by ear but plan on having time for several visits before you actually start full time.  With both kids I started by going with them to the day care center and hanging out in the classroom with them for a while so they could adjust to the environment with me there.  With DD I then did a gradual transition where I left her for an hour and slowly phased into full days.  DS was much more easygoing and was totally fine so his transition period was a lot shorter than hers, but I still did a half day the first day and worked up to full days by the end of my first week back at work.  Both of mine were infants when they started, and I think for an older child a transition period is even more important, but of course it depends on the child as well.  Hope that helps!
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
    Report Reply
  • Loading the player...
  • blu-eyedwifeblu-eyedwife member

    When my son started at daycare, he began with 3 days a week.  It wasn't until he started going 5 days a week that things seemed to click for him - he was happier there, less fussy, etc.  I think, for him (and he was 5 months), it was confusing to be there one day and not the next and easier when there was consistency.

    That aside, he just had a new student starting in his daycare class last Wednesday.  She's between 12 and 15 months (not sure when her birthday is).  This is her first time at daycare and I was just remarking to the DCP this morning how quickly she's fit in with the other kids (who have been together for months).  Watching her it's like she's been there forever!  She seems so happy and involved.

    June '15 January Siggy Challenge.  Pinterest Fails
    image

     Lilypie Fourth Birthday tickers
    BabyFruit Ticker
    Report Reply
  • tokenhosertokenhoser member

    We did a week of transition; he did mornings for the th/fri of the week before I went back, then 8-2 for mon/tues, then 8-4 once I went back to work on wed.

    And really... it didn't help. He hated the first 2 weeks. It all ended up fine - he adapted and so did I, and he loves it now. We just did anything to make him happy at the beginning. She held him a lot and I sent Baby Einstein for when she needed to make lunch and put him down. 

    I'm also in Canada, went back to work at a year, use a private dayhome. And am still bf-ing, if that applies to you. It has all worked out fine - we love our dayhome lady and she loves DS. 

    AlternaTickers - Cool, free Web tickers
    AlternaTickers - Cool, free Web tickers
    Natural Birth Board FAQs
    Cloth Diaper Review Sheet

    Report Reply
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"