Okay moms...What are your tips for transitioning DC to daycare?

Logan starts daycare October 1st.

What are some things you did or wish you did to prepare DC and to prepare yourself?

TIA!

Re: Okay moms...What are your tips for transitioning DC to daycare?

Did they provide you with a list of items?

What I find helpful:
Pack the bag with all items the night before
Prepare the bottles and put in the fridge the night before - for formula I fill the bottles with formula and leave everything on the counter. In the morning I mix in the formula and assemble the bottles
Label all (and I mean all) items with DC's name


As for emotional preparation...I tried to prepare myself but it was still hard to hand him over to someone else. He cried, I cried...it was sad. But it does get better and you have to tell youself that. Mommies have a hard role - our children get their cues from us (no matter how young) so be positive, smile and say good bye as happily as you can.

Message edited 9/4/2007 9:29:54 AM.

Re: Okay moms...What are your tips for transitioning DC to daycare?

They would let me bring her for an hour here and there and play with the other babies. The first few times I stayed and played with her, and then they suggested I go shopping or something and to leave her with them for the hour. It was SOOOO hard, but it definitely helped since I knew I'd be back in an hour vs. 8 hours. I never cried while shopping before - that was first

Will they let you do something like that?

Message edited 9/4/2007 9:38:40 AM.

Re: Okay moms...What are your tips for transitioning DC to daycare?

DS went to one daycare from 3 months to 18 months so he didn't know the difference but her did when he had to change.

I sent him there a couple of days beforehand to get used to the environement.

He has a blanket and I let him bring it with him for comfort.

Re: Okay moms...What are your tips for transitioning DC to daycare?

Re: Okay moms...What are your tips for transitioning DC to daycare?

Re: Okay moms...What are your tips for transitioning DC to daycare?

Bumping for the night crew.

Re: Okay moms...What are your tips for transitioning DC to daycare?

No one else has any suggestions?

Or is everyone burnt out from the weekend?

Re: Okay moms...What are your tips for transitioning DC to daycare?

Emma just started today and I didn't do much to prepare her except tell her she was going to "school"! Of course she had no idea what I was saying

Me on the other hand, I tried not to think about it because it would make me sad. And of course I cried today when I dropped her off. If you can, try to do a few hours a day or two before he actually starts going full time. She was fine, but I felt better knowing I would be picking her up in a few hours opposed to nine hours.

Yes, label EVERYTHING, including bottle caps. I bought really cute labels from www.stuckonyou.biz. I bought the vinyl for her bottles, wipe containers, sippy cups, bowls, etc. and I bought the iron on's for her clothing, bibs, etc. I don't label what she is actually wearing, just the extra stuff that is kept there. I even labeled the crib sheets and her little blankie.

HTH a little!

Re: Okay moms...What are your tips for transitioning DC to daycare?

I agree with what everyoen else already said - yes, label the clothes.....you can even use shapries on the tags to write dc's name......the teachers will appreciate it!

I also wrote the two teachers a note from dd when she started (in "her" voice and signed it her name) telling them about her, what she liked, etc. I put a little pic of her on the bottom too..its helpful b/c this way if someone else was in the room, then they could easily pick out who she was.....

Now, dd has been going for about 5 months and LOVES it...it hurts me to leave still (especially after the weekend!) but she crawls away and doesn't even look back..... ....but it shows me she absolutely loves it.....


good luck!!!!

Re: Okay moms...What are your tips for transitioning DC to daycare?

What helped the most was to bring Alex to daycare everyday for at least an hour, for a few weeks leading up to her first day. It allowed her to get comfortable in the surroundings, and it allowed me to de-stress by observing how good the teachers were with the babies. I always made a point of stopping by unannounced, at various times.

Also, I don't know how old your DC is, but it helps to talk excitedly about school. When Alex was about to transition to camp, with a new teacher, I made a point of EVERYDAY talking excitedly about it - saying, ""Ohhhh Alex, you're so lucky, you're going to camp soon! You're going to have so much fun with Kandy!" It helps them get in the mindset, and you too as well.

Last, remember - it's harder on you than it is on them

Re: Okay moms...What are your tips for transitioning DC to daycare?

Thank you.

He's going to be 4.5 months when he starts.

I'm having a very hard time with it already. I cry whenever I think about it, but I have to go back to work.

I'm going on stuck on you today to get labels.

Did you try to get your DC on a schedule before you started there?

Re: Okay moms...What are your tips for transitioning DC to daycare?

We had a very loose schedule. The daycare is the one who figured out their schedules & then I would copy it on the weekend to make the transition on Mondays easier.

To prepare yourself - the best piece of advice I received was start mid-week or end of the week rather than on a Monday. You get a few days in & then you're back with him.

From what I've seen, most daycares allow a start-up period (paid/unpaid). You bring them for an hour & stay with them. Meet the teachers. Bring in his stuff for the week, etc. Then you leave them for a 1/2 day before going full-time.

Bring plenty of photos with you. Feel free to call the daycare. You're not the only one that will want to call hourly but try to limit it to 2 phone calls in the beginning. I always called at 2-3pm so I could get the rundown of their day from their own teachers rather than DH getting 3rd hand information from the second shift when he picked up.

Re: Okay moms...What are your tips for transitioning DC to daycare?

Hi. My son started daycare on August 13 when he was almost 17 weeks old. It was very hard on me. I cried terribly, but, thankfully, he was all smiles! We call it school and I talk happily about it and about all the friends he is making and all the fun he is going to have. Every morning when I bring him, he gives the teachers huge smiles. He smiles at me when I say good bye, but them he happily goes to the teacher, beams at her and starts looking all around the room. I think it is so much easier when they start at a young age before they understand so much. I don't even think that he realizes I'm gone! He smiles at me when I pick him up and my heart melts. I just hope and pray that when he is old enough to understand, he is happily adjusted and just knows that school is part of his regular routine and loves it! I pray for this! All I want is his health and happiness!

I didn't try to get him on a schedule before he started. If anything, they have gotten him more on a schedule. He's not a regular napper though. Hopefully, as he gets older, he will get more on a schedule. They want them to nap at on a regular schedule by the time the graduate into the toddler room. For now, they pretty much let him dictate the schedule, but they will try to work him into a schedule as he gets older.

Definitely, try to have all bottles made and everything ready to go the night before. I brought all of his supplies the week before I started work so I didn't have to do it the day he started. I was too emotional. I also brought him in that week for a couple of hours and stayed with him, while he got to interact with the teachers.

Good luck!! It's still not easy, but it has gotten easier this past month. Some days are harder than others. Some days I sit here at my desk fighting tears, missing him so much. I'm trying to be positive though. I'm here if you need help or encouragement!!

Re: Okay moms...What are your tips for transitioning DC to daycare?

Def Label everything-Bibs, bottle caps, bottles, clothes, sheets, toys, paci's, spoons, bowls etc.

Send him in comfy clothes-I never sent DD in her "nice" stuff, it would get ruined

I did a trial run, the week before I sat behind DD and viewed the class, how the teachers interacted and stayed out of DD's view. The day before she started, I left her there for a couple hours.

our daycare wanted 2 full changes of clothes at all times.

They also requested "a getting to know you" list, just things about habits, feeding times, quirks, personality to help them those 1st couple weeks so they can duplicate what you do at home.

She did fine, I think i was more upset and uncomfy than she was. The teachers all told me the babies do fine, it's the mommies and daddies that have the hardest time dropping them off.

Re: Okay moms...What are your tips for transitioning DC to daycare?

Posted by Ang-Rich

Did they provide you with a list of items?

What I find helpful:
Pack the bag with all items the night before
Prepare the bottles and put in the fridge the night before - for formula I fill the bottles with formula and leave everything on the counter. In the morning I mix in the formula and assemble the bottles
Label all (and I mean all) items with DC's name


As for emotional preparation...I tried to prepare myself but it was still hard to hand him over to someone else. He cried, I cried...it was sad. But it does get better and you have to tell youself that. Mommies have a hard role - our children get their cues from us (no matter how young) so be positive, smile and say good bye as happily as you can.