The first day of daycare is a significant occasion for any family. However, to your child, it might feel like the world is ending. Sending your child off to daycare is the first of many times you will have to make the decision to expose your child to the world, letting go of just a bit of responsibility to them.

This is not easy for either the parents or the child; separation anxiety is common in around 4% of youth. Beginning daycare is a milestone for a child to start relying on themselves; thus providing ease when entering kindergarten or grade school.

Choosing a reputable Calgary daycare, one that you as a parent feel assured in the development of your child’s well-being, and knowing a few tips to prepare for that first big day, will help to alleviate the stress of this transition.

Children aren’t accustomed to new environments, especially one that will act as their second home. Bringing your child to the daycare facility a few times prior to their start date will allow them to orient themselves with their surroundings, peers and the staff around them. When they begin their time in daycare, they will already have a sense of familiarity to the daycare, and won’t feel as scared in this new place.

Give your child a simple keepsake from home, so that whenever they miss you at daycare, they can be reminded that although not present, you aren’t that far away from them. Err on the side of caution and ensure that this item isn’t on the list of things the daycare won’t allow (due to potential safety reasons).

As parents, we ourselves struggle to not see our child as often as we used to before daycare. However, visits during the day will hinder a child’s positive transition into daycare, yet this shouldn’t mean a parent isn’t cognizant of how their child is doing. For assurance, call your daycare and ask for an update on your child whenever you’re feeling anxious; children aren’t the only ones who have to deal with the effects of transitioning to preschool.

Little Angels daycare, based in Airdrie, understands the hardships that both parents and their child face when beginning their journey at preschool. While we wish we could say it is an easy task, our experience has shown us that it never will be. However, our staff is committed to ensuring that you drop your child off worry-free, and pick your child up after a day at work seeing a smile on their face.