The trauma caused from exchanging the home environment for a daycare one can cause many children to have issues. Truly great providers can help to overcome this battle, and should therefore be a huge consideration in placing the child. It is recommended that the child’s providers be someone they already know, if it is remotely possible. There are, of course, additional tips for parents to consider if that one is not something that is available to them.

If you have any acquaintances that have children who have attended daycare, for example, it is very likely that their experience with that particular facility can be helpful. Both good and bad experiences with these places are helpful. Not every facility will be able to meet the individual behavior needs of every child, so keep that in mind as you listen for the worst or most numerous complaints.

For a simple list of licensed daycare facilities in your area, you should go to the Department of Social Services. A source many parents overlook is the child’s own physician who may be able to provide recommendations based on his or her discussions with parents. You should take caution as you are looking for facilities in your phone book or newspaper and although a good source, professionals do not have to be licensed in order to be included. You should discard any caretaker who does not want to meet the child before agreeing to take them on. Introducing your child to its new caretaker and environment will smooth out the understandable fear that some children experience in such environments.

Many children also derive a sense of security from certain items, be they security blankets or favorite toys, and with the permission of the daycare, those should be allowed to go with the child. For many children, the homesickness that they experience will be lessened through this process. Some families have noted success in calming their child of the parent or other immediate family member, while for others this only intensified the child’s discomfort. If you can stay with the child for a while in the mornings, that is a great way to make him or her feel safe and secure in their new surroundings. If the child is old enough to understand the concept of time, then you can tell them when you are coming back and this will help them understand that you are not abandoning them. A good deal of homesickness at daycare has feelings of abandonment attached, and if the child knows that you will be coming back to them at a certain time, they will be able to overcome this.

The biggest key to make their transition a good one is to be positive when you leave. If you send a negative message, or if you seem upset, your child will only be ten times worse than she or he already was. Your child will likely cry for no more than a few minutes after you leave before deciding that play and the other activities are a better choice. Though walking out the door after a good-bye is always best, you should feel free to be as extravagant as you want when you return to pick them up.