Friday, 21 June 2013
How to Successfully Transition into Childcare
Is there a tougher job when it comes to parenting than leaving your child in a new place, with new faces and having to walk away while they cry for you to come back and rescue them? It's tough, and unfortunately it is a matter in which many parents do not have a choice. Here is a few tips that I have gathered over the years that will hopefully help some families make this process a bit easier.
Take It Slow
The best thing you can do for your child is to familiarize them with their new environment before the big day. As early as you can (not implying you need to be visiting after birth, but try and fit in some visits the month before) arrange with the staff to have short visits to the center. These visits will be short and sweet, a chance for both you and your wee one to get to know the teachers and support staff which will help to make you both more comfortable when it comes to finally leaving them for a full day.
Role Model
Your little one will be looking to you during these visits and will watch for your reactions. How you interact with the staff and other children will let him know they are people to be trusted. Make sure your interactions are positive and you appear to be having fun! Hopefully this will rub off on your biggest admirer!
Work Your Way Up
Closer to your child's starting day see if you can leave your child at the center for short periods of time without you. By this time your child will be more comfortable with the staff and the environment and will hopefully join in some activities and not miss you too much ;). Start with an hour during the morning play time. After a few (hopefully) successful visits try the morning play time and lunch. After that try leaving them there for a nap time as well. This gradual transition allows them to get there bearings without being too overwhelmed all at once.
Be Honest
Don't sneak away when your child isn't looking, without saying goodbye and explaining what will happen. Let her know that you will be back very soon after she has played with her new friends. This will not guarantee no tears but it will keep the trust your child has for you, which in my eyes is most important. As well don't bribe! Your baby would trade any toy or candy to have your company and telling them you will "buy them a treat" just won't work! By the time you pick them up they will not remember this promise. Much more importantly, when you do pick him up, talk about his time at childcare. Ask what he did, what and who he played with. Use his teacher's name and discuss what activities they had planned. This positive conversation will be much more valuable than a pack of jelly beans! Even if your child is young, they love conversation with you, and although it may sound like gibberish to you, all of those sounds and your responses to them will enhance their vocabulary skills.
I hope these tips can help to make your child's transition into childcare a positive one, good luck!
Friday, 19 April 2013
3 Things That Always Surprise Parents
Over the years, in all of the different locations, settings and age groups I have worked with, there are three topics that inevitably always arise with and even shock parents;
1) Your child WILL get messy!
1) Your child WILL get messy!
2) They will eat foods at childcare that they wouldn't even touch at home!
3) Boys play dress-up too!
They will get messy!
In any good childcare setting there will be painting, shaving cream, sand and dirt. Science experiments, art activities and outdoor exploration. It is not the place for your child's sunday best!!! Children are given smocks for messy activities and supervised closely (as I said before "in any good childcare") but no matter how many preventative measures are taken, they always end up getting a spot of paint or dirt on their clothes. But it is through these messy experiences that children learn so much. Motor skills, trial-and-error, creativity, imagination, independent thinking...the list of skills enhanced is endless. So leave the "Gap" outfit and "Ugg" boots at home for the weekend and dress them in clothes that don't matter so much. After all, childcare is a place of learning not a fashion show!
They will eat foods in childcare that they wouldn't even touch at home!
If I had a dollar for every time a parent said to me, "They ate that? They won't eat it at home!", well I'd probably be out shopping right now instead of writing this! It's amazing how children adapt in another setting outside the home. They see their friends eating and don't think twice about gobbling up those green beans (or at least trying some!). They are offered what's on the menu and apart from allergies, intolerances or religious restrictions, the children all eat the same meals. Another thing to remember is a child will eat if he/she is hungry. If they are refusing food remember that they will not starve themselves and forcing them to eat teaches them to undermine their judgement on whether they are hungry/full. One rule I always enforce is the "try one bite" rule. One bite of each food and they can decide whether they like it or not. And who knows, one time when they try one bite, they might decide they actually like it! So don't turn your nose up when you read the childcare menu and say, "My child won't eat quinoa and tofu," because they just might! And it sure makes a change from chicken nuggets and rice! Remember to have a positive attitude to new foods yourself because you are your child's biggest inspiration! If you keep an open mind they will have a better chance of having one as well.
Boys play dress up too!
For the most part when a child's parent walks into a childcare center and sees their son wearing a dress and "baking cookies" in the dramatic center, they laugh and take it for what it is, imaginary play. But there have been a handful of parents, in my experience, that are appalled to see their son wearing a tutu or their daughter always playing with trucks and never dolls. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this behaviour and definitely no link to sexual orientation. Childcare is a safe place for children to explore roles they see in their own lives through dramatic play. Why shouldn't Jimmy pretend he's baking "just like mommy" when he sees it at home? Or why shouldn't Tommy wear that tutu which is brightly coloured and an interesting texture? Likewise, Amy is welcome to push around the trucks which is much more exciting to her than her baby dolls at home which don't move and roll like four wheels do! Childcare is the perfect setting for children to explore a variety of toys and activities in a comfortable, non-judgemental setting.
They will eat foods in childcare that they wouldn't even touch at home!
If I had a dollar for every time a parent said to me, "They ate that? They won't eat it at home!", well I'd probably be out shopping right now instead of writing this! It's amazing how children adapt in another setting outside the home. They see their friends eating and don't think twice about gobbling up those green beans (or at least trying some!). They are offered what's on the menu and apart from allergies, intolerances or religious restrictions, the children all eat the same meals. Another thing to remember is a child will eat if he/she is hungry. If they are refusing food remember that they will not starve themselves and forcing them to eat teaches them to undermine their judgement on whether they are hungry/full. One rule I always enforce is the "try one bite" rule. One bite of each food and they can decide whether they like it or not. And who knows, one time when they try one bite, they might decide they actually like it! So don't turn your nose up when you read the childcare menu and say, "My child won't eat quinoa and tofu," because they just might! And it sure makes a change from chicken nuggets and rice! Remember to have a positive attitude to new foods yourself because you are your child's biggest inspiration! If you keep an open mind they will have a better chance of having one as well.
Boys play dress up too!
For the most part when a child's parent walks into a childcare center and sees their son wearing a dress and "baking cookies" in the dramatic center, they laugh and take it for what it is, imaginary play. But there have been a handful of parents, in my experience, that are appalled to see their son wearing a tutu or their daughter always playing with trucks and never dolls. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this behaviour and definitely no link to sexual orientation. Childcare is a safe place for children to explore roles they see in their own lives through dramatic play. Why shouldn't Jimmy pretend he's baking "just like mommy" when he sees it at home? Or why shouldn't Tommy wear that tutu which is brightly coloured and an interesting texture? Likewise, Amy is welcome to push around the trucks which is much more exciting to her than her baby dolls at home which don't move and roll like four wheels do! Childcare is the perfect setting for children to explore a variety of toys and activities in a comfortable, non-judgemental setting.
Saturday, 16 March 2013
How to Choose the Right Childcare for Your Child
There are a many decisions in life that will trial us as parents and one of the hardest of all is deciding who we trust enough to leave our precious child(ren) with all day long while we go to work. We love them more than anything in the world and only wish to protect them and keep them safe at all costs so when it comes to choosing a childcare provider we cannot take this decision too lightly.
First of all, RESEARCH!
Search online, get referrals from local schools, friends and family, your church, your paediatrician, whoever it is that you trust. The best type of advertisement a childcare centre can have is positive personal experiences so ask around!
You will need to decide what type of setting you and your child will prefer.
Home care can be unlicensed as well as licensed. An unlicensed home care may only accept 5 children (apart from their own) and will not receive visits from the Ministry of Education to ensure certain standards are being upheld.
A licensed home care setting may have more than 5 children, while maintaining ratios according to the Day Nursery's Act, and will have regular visits from the Ministry of Education.
A licensed child care centre, whether privately run, regionaly run or a charitable organization, will also need to follow the Day Nurseries Act and will be subject to visits from the Ministry as well. These visits may be announced or not so the center will always have to be prepared and running accordingly.
The following link will outline the expectations of the Ministry of Education in Ontario:
Once you have narrowed down the search to the centres you would consider, it is vital to book a tour. Before you visit, write down any questions you have so that you won't forget anything on the day.
Topics to touch on include (but are not limited to); Daily schedule, classroom ratios, who the primary caregiver will be, behavior management policies, menus, program planning, will there be family grouping (when different age groups are placed together usually at the beginning and end of each day), naptime, what the parents need to supply (ie wipes, diapers etc), allergies, first aid qualifications and policies (ie in what circumstances would parents will be contacted), do they accept subsidy (if applicable).
The tour of the home/centre is as important for getting a feel of the caregivers as it is for getting answers for your questions. It is crucial that you and your child feel comfortable with the staff and their policies before any decision is made (that is not to say your child won't cry when you do eventually leave him/her there, but the transition will be much easier if you both find comfort in your caregiver!)
And get acquainted with other staff, cooks, supervisors etc because they will also be a big part of your child's day during childcare.
Once you finally decide on your caregiver, whether it be home care or centre care...allow adequate time for TRANSITION! Whether it be a few weeks or a few days, the caregiver should be encouraging this to ease the process for yourself and especially your child. Whatever time you can manage to dedicate to transioning will benefit you both in the long run. Your child will feel much safer and at ease when you do finally leave him/her for their first full day if you have spent some time at the centre with them. Start slowly, an hour one day, maybe two the next. Work your way up to a full morning and then eventually a full day. After the first few visits you can start to leave your child alone, for a longer period each time. And role modelling positive interactions with the caregiver and other staff/children will show your child that they are people to be trusted.
All in all, ensure you are comfortable with your decision and choose someone you trust to care for your baby. Someone who shows an enjoyment of children, a warm heart and caring manner. You really cannot take this step too seriously!
Good Luck!
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