Starting a new program can be very overwhelming for small children and their families. Here at Sunny Patch Preschool we have several strategies to help your little one settle in and feel right at home!
First it's important for parents to know that it generally takes a week or two for a child in our program to feel confident leaving mom and dad. It's very normal for your child to cry at drop off or to say they don't want to go to school in the morning the first few weeks. This is because as fun as our program is your child may be having a little anxiety about leaving the comfort of home. It takes time for your child to develop an internal rhythm of the day, to know that you will always come back and to learn to TRUST new people to meet his needs.
Our teachers are very skilled at helping children transition into care and we are happy to help your family through the process as well. We have a sure fire system in place that will have your child EXCITED to come to Sunny Patch in no time at all!
Five of our go to strategies are:
Strategy 1: We set parents up for success by giving you clear expectations about the range of emotions your child will be feeling the first few weeks and we check in to see if there is anyway we can support your family as you transition into care. We also encourage you to bring a lovey for your child, some family photos and any comfort items that may help him feel at ease. Having a few things from home helps your child feel grounded and secure. Throughout the morning your child likely be going from curious, to happy, to anxious, to curious again, having some items from home really helps. We use photos from home to connect with your child by looking at the pictures together, talking about family and letting them know that you will be coming back at the end of the day.
Strategy 2: As your child is getting to know the environment, one teacher is the primary caregiver for your child to help him feel he has an ancho in this new space. This person will greet your child each day, help him with all the routine things we do and take time out of the schedule to sit with him as needed to snuggle as he learns that our space is a safe space. Having continuity of care is very important in the early days. The primary caregiver for your child will also help to foster relationships with other children who have similar interests and will find things that your child enjoys such as cars or dinosaurs to encourage curiosity and playfulness.
Strategy 3: Our teachers take pictures and videos throughout the morning to share with mom and dad. We also encourage you to text as often as you need to so that you feel confident as well. We often send video clips and pictures with the names of classmates for you to review with your child at the end of the day so he feels more connection between school and home. This way he can look forward to seeing a friendly face his age tomorrow. We also want YOU to see how the day went so that you can feel good about sending your child to school - the energy that you bring to the drop off has a big impact on how your little one will feel about coming to school.
Strategy 4: We have a family board hanging in our hallway with all the names of teachers, parents and children in our program so you and your child can remember all the names of classmates (I don't know about you but I hate it when I forget the name of someone I really connected with! ) Our intention is for all the families to feel welcome in our space. I sincerely hope you find your families next best friend at Sunny Patch! It really DOES take a village to raise a family and its so wonderful to see how all of your children become so close throughout their time in our school.
Strategy 5: After a few days of observing your child's personality and interests we make sure to include a few activities that your child will really love. For instance if we notice your child loves outdoor time and race cars we might add a car track to our outdoor space so that he has something to look forward to as soon as he comes in the door. Many of our children love slime, water and play dough so we make sure to add these elements to our morning activities as a special surprise just for him.
All along the way it is our intention for your child and all the children at Sunny Patch Preschool to have a beautiful, happy, joy filled childhood. We also want you to feel cared for as well, because this is a big step for parents too! Being a parent is a big responsibility and were here to help you every step of the way.
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