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If you are returning to daycare after a summer break or starting daycare for the first time let’s talk about how you can get your child prepared and what gear you may need to purchase.
Ask Questions
If possible go take a physical visit to check out the daycare. Look over the flow and areas of the room. Notice the diaper bags or backpacks hanging. Check out the nap time corner full of supplies. Where are diapers stored and do you need to provide wipes?
A physical visit is a great time to go over exactly what you need to provide for your child at daycare.
Who is responsible for providing meals and snacks for your child?
Think through the different areas: diapering, clothing, feeding, playing, and sleeping. Dive into each specific area and ask exactly what you will need to provide.
While you are there you should also go over expectations. Do they expect your baby to be on a strict nap routine or your toddler to be potty trained?
Ask the daycare what the general flow or schedule for your child’s day will look like.
If you are unable to schedule an in-person visit, send an email or schedule a call with a teacher and have a pen and paper ready to take notes.
For more on this check out, Smooth Transitions: How to Get Your Child Prepared for Daycare Success.
What to Purchase and Take to Daycare
- Diapers
- Wipes
- Diaper Rash Cream
- Extra Clothing
- Tissues
- Food/Bottles
- Snacks
- Lunch Box
- Food Containers
- Cups
- Blankets/Bedding
- Sun Screen
- Medications
You may or may not need to include all of these items. This is just a general list. Check with your daycare before making any purchases. Ideally, though you have most of these items at home anyway.
There are also rules when it comes to labeling items. For example, our daycare required us to label the food and drinks each day with the date. For this, you may want to purchase reusable label stickers.
I recommend labeling basically everything. If I sent a package of diapers, I wrote my daughter’s name on the outside. I did not want to take the chance of the daycare thinking they belong to another child.
Daycare workers have a lot to manage. If labeling this makes their life easier go ahead and take the time to do so.
It is also very helpful if you are consistent. Don’t send your child with a different lunch box or sleeping bag each day. Sticking with the same item makes it easier for the provider or teacher to recognize what belongs to your child.
Medications are going to need to come in their original packaging. Take the time to get a fresh bottle of whatever they take. Make sure to include proper information with the medication.
My daughter for example has a food allergy. I wrote a note of what a reaction looks like so they would know exactly when the medication was necessary. I also wrote exactly how she was comfortable taking the medication. At the time, she would take the liquid medication from a syringe rather than drink it from a little measuring cup.
Each daycare will ask or need you to provide different items. Find out what you need before the first day. If you do forget anything don’t sweat it though, you can also get it later.
Get Into Routine
By now you should have asked the daycare what the schedule will look like for your baby. This means knowing snacks, meals, and sleep times.
Start working at home on getting your child into a routine that matches the daycare.
Make the transition as smooth as possible.
If you typically put your toddler down for a nap at 2 pm, but the daycare will do so at 12:30 pm, start moving their nap time forward at home. Slowly make these adjustments to get them on track.
After doing your best to mirror the routine they will have at daycare you need to take the next step.
Start pretending like your morning is one where you need to get out the door for work and daycare.
Practice getting yourself and your child dressed, ready, and out the door on time. Practice your new home routine for making it to daycare.
What time do you as the parent need to wake up? How long does it take to get yourself ready?
Will you get up before your child?
Figure out these details and practice.
Instead of going to the actual daycare you could run an errand, go to the library, or even just take a practice drive to daycare and then turn back around to go home.
The point is you are really seeing what it takes to get out the door on time.
Home Schedule
Get your schedule at home on point.
Maybe your bedtime routine currently takes an hour because you have the luxury of sleeping in. You may no longer have the ability to sleep late once starting daycare. Therefore, you need to tighten up that bedtime routine.
How A Strong Night Time Routine Can Improve Your Mornings Each Day
Consider making a new routine to pack up for daycare the night before.
I would fill my daughter’s cups with water and label them for the next day. Because it was only water I didn’t feel bad doing it the night before. If you can prepare any of their food the night before, do so as well.
If a certain food is prepared the morning of that is totally understandable. You go ahead and set out the containers and get them properly labeled though.
Mornings can get busy fast. I recommend doing as much as possible at night.
Get Your Child Ready for Daycare
If your child has never attended daycare try to get them more comfortable with the idea. If they are a baby, try leaving them with grandma once a week. If they are a toddler maybe show them some cartoons where the character goes to daycare for the first time.
Consider having extra playdates to get your child more comfortable around children their age. Other options for more socialization include parks, activity gyms, library time, and even other public places like museums or stores.
Get them out and about more than usual.
They need to get more comfortable with not being home all day.
Practice feeding them a packed lunch. Show them how to open their food containers. Obviously, the provider will help them, but if they can do it independently that is a bonus.
If they are potty trained, go over all the steps and try to get them to a place of independence.
You want to do everything possible to make this transition as smooth as possible for your little one. Make these small efforts and hope that it truly does help your child succeed.
Random Reminders
If this is your first time starting daycare you need to provide emergency contact information for your child as well as a plan for payment.
You may need to have your credit card ready or bank information for direct transfers.
Conclusion
When it comes to starting daycare get your gear in line and adopt their schedule as much as possible.
Making the switch to daycare is huge for both you and your child. Make it as seamless as possible by being prepared.
Check Out My Articles
Smooth Transitions: How to Get Your Child Prepared for Daycare Success
10 Shocking Things You Need to Know About Starting Daycare
