You have finally found a good day care for your child. This excites you because you are now sure that your child will learn something new and exciting each day. Unfortunately for you, the first day at daycare does not seem to go so well. Your child does not seem to like his or her new environment. This happens all the time, so you do not have to worry about it. With time, your child will get used to his or her day care. Before that happens however, you will have some homework to do. That is, you have to learn a thing or two about what it takes to prepare your child for daycare. Here’s how to go about it.
Get Immunizations Up To Date
Consult your kid’s pediatrician to let you know what to expect as soon as your child begins attending day care. Make sure all your child’s vaccinations are as they are scheduled. If your kid takes regular medication, inform the daycare early in advance. Have them know exactly how much medicine the little one needs to be given and at what time.
Request For Flexible Timings At Your Place Of Work
It is important to take part in your child’s early childhood education. One sure way of going about this is to monitor your child’s progress alongside his or her day care giver. This can be hard for anyone working fulltime. With that in mind, request your employer for flexible timings at least for the first few weeks. This will easily give you some extra time in the morning to prepare your kid for day care. It will also ease your child into his or her daycare center’s routine. Go for part-time or half day options if you can. That way, you won’t feel stressed or detached from your child. Your child on the other hand won’t miss you for a whole day.
Get Into The Daycare Ritual
Request your child’s daycare for a printout of their schedule. This will help you to adjust your home and work routine accordingly. Keep in mind that for children, nap and feeding times are vital activities that could be interrupted by daycare. Avoid by all means shifting your child’s nap from 12 noon to 3pm right away. Gradually adjust regular routine up or even down by 10, 25 or 20 minutes then half an hour and so forth. The more gradual you are the less likely your child will notice changes and ease into a new routine to accommodate into his or her daycare program.
Alternative Plans For Breastfeeding
You do not have to stop breastfeeding your child just because daycare started. As matter of fact, the longer your breastfeed the healthier he or she becomes. However, when it comes to breastfeeding and daycare, you have no choice but to come up with a plan. Get a nice pump and while at it, learn how to express and store your breast milk. You may have to try a couple of nipples to find one your baby prefers. You may also have to find formula brand that your child will not dislike if by any chance you plan on introducing formula as part of your child’s meal plan. Remember that planning ahead is the easiest way to give your child a chance to adjust to new routine and rhythm.
Shop For Extras
You will need more of everything once your child starts daycare. You will need extra bottles for mild and beverage especially for those unexpected days when you forget to wash or you’re simply too lazy to clean. You will also have to shop for an extra set of diapers and wipes. Be sure to also get a nice bag for your child.