Transitioning Into Daycare

Hi - My twins will be 3 in Sept and have never stayed with anyone but us or their grandparents. Next week we are putting them into a daycare for 3 days a week. We are really

Any advice on who to transition them into this. My first thought was to do half days but then I think they might be better to get used to it for full days right from the beginning.

Also, I have toured the facility 3 different times throughout the day and I am pretty comfortable with the daycare but is there anything that I should especially look for? We are new to the area and don't know anyone who has their child in daycare.

Thanks for the advice!

 

I have no advice, as my kids don't go to daycare, but I wanted to wish you good luck. I'm sure your twins will be fine. It sounds like you have done your homework. Is it possible to take the twins with you just to visit and tour the facility? Then you can talk about the different areas they'll be in throughout the day and build up excitement and anticipation about going.

 

It's good that you are comfortable with it!

My advice is from preschool, so not the same - but FWIW - PREPARE yourself! If you cry and get emotional, they might too!!! Drop them off quickly and go watch from another window or area and THEN cry!

They are used to transitioning the kids into daycare and they are used to kids who are upset by it. They will be FINE!!! :hug: The hardest transition is going to be YOU!

Good luck!!! :hug: I know we have more kids in daycare on the boards - I hope you get some more advice than from us without the practical experience!! :hug:

 

Hi there!!

We put Aidan and Amanda in daycare 3 days a week last September when they were 3 yrs 2 months. Before daycare, they were home with Daddy for the first 2.5 years and then with grandma for the last 6 months. Now they're in "school" three days a week and with grandma the other 2 days. For us, it was the best thing we ever did! They LOVE school and they have thrived in the environment. Fortunately, at this age, they loved the fact that they got to go somewhere else during the day and they get to play with a bunch of new toys. I drop them off at 7am and pick them up at 6pm so it is a long day but they don't seem to mind. We made a huge production of the whole thing. We bought them special lunch boxes (since we need to pack lunch for them) and they got new shoes and we talked about starting school. They both love seeing school buses so we talk about this being the first step before they are "big kids" and go to the big kid school.

Our situation has been wonderful. They've thrived. They are making a ton of friends which they didn't have before since we didn't know many other families with kids their age. The other kids love having them there and it's great. Some days are harder than others. Aidan struggled with potty training at school since it was a different environment and he was embarrassed to wear a diaper around his friends. Now that they've been in school for almost a year, they've hit milestones that I didn't think happened at this age. They've both learned to write their names. They know how to use safety scissors. They make tons of crafts. They did a unit on the circus a few weeks ago and they all participated in presenting a circus for all the other groups in the daycare center.

The key in our experience is to be their cheerleader. Make a big deal of it and get as excited as you can. If you're nervous, they can tell. If you have any questions, feel free to PM me. I was in your shoes just a year ago! Good luck!!

 

Mine have been in daycare since birth, so I can't really help with that, but I agree with everything Lisa said about being a cheerleader and trying not to get emotional.

Also, you asked about full vs. half days -- I would go with whatever the norm at the daycare is. Our daycare actually requires full days (or at least, you have to pay for a full day whether you want it or not), so it would be really conspicuous if a child only attended for half days, and would make it hard for them to participate in all the regular activities.

Having twins is definitely an advantage here -- mine are MUCH more comfortable going into new situations (gymnastics, playdates, etc.) than many singletons I know, because they have each other.

 

we put ours in daycare at 2 (last May)...the first day was cool! Then there was the 2nd day - they cried when we dropped them off...then the 3rd day, they cried when we pulled into the parking lot etc...

they WILL cry - and cry hard! Don't let them see YOU upset...just give hugs and kisses and tell them you'll be back for them (my DD's favorite phrase still is "be back soon?")....it took a good 6 months for my daughter to stop crying at drop off...BUT she'd cry and then as soon as we left, she'd either take a book or a toy and go play - and was fine...

its a great experience - they've learned SO much, they love their teachers and the teachers love them too!

 

Ours went to a childminder's at 1 1/2 with another two kids. Then at 2 1/2 they went to another childminder's with another kid. Both places have been absolutely wonderful, with incredibly caring minders who adored our twins. But the transitions into them were not so easy: like pp said, they were fine the first day and then cried the second, and even more the third. But within a week or so they were much happier to go. I did half days for the first month with the first place and then moved onto full days. At the second place I only did half days for a week. At both places, when we picked them up for the first month they were more 'sensitive' and huggy and then they really settled in fine.
For us, overall, it hasn't been easy, but once they get used to a place they've been really really happy there.
Good luck.

 

You've gotten some great advice and I'd agree with it all.

I worked 4 days a week after my maternity leave ended, we had a nanny 2 days and my dh's aunt 2 days - all in our home. I went down to part time when the girls turned 2 and just kept the nanny. In Nov. of 2008 when the girls were 3 1/2 I went back to full time 4 days a week and we got rid of our nanny. The girls go to a daycare/preschool M, W & F, I'm home on Tuesdays and on Thursdays my best friend watches them. It was a very hard decision to put them in full time daycare. I drop off at 7:15 and my dh picks them up anywhere from 3:15 to 4:30. I was so worried about it and how they would do, they've never had a hard time with other people watching them - but this was a little different. They did absolutely fine!! I was actually feeling bad that they couldn't care less that I was bringing them there! I was so worried about it that it was sort of a let down that it wasn't as dramatic as I thought it would be. I think the thing that helps is that we love the daycare and feel totally comfortable with it, it sounds like you've researched yours alot. We do have our days in the morning when Brooke will ask if she can be a "half day" because there are kids that just go there for preschool from 8:30-11:00. I feel bad when she asks me that, but I know they have fun when they are there, so its not so bad. I wouldn't put them in part time to start since that might give them an idea that picking them up early will be a regular occurrence and then you'll have to go thru the guilt all over again when you bump them up to full time.

Good Luck!!!

 

Talk to them. Telll them how much fun it will be and really build it up. :hug: Good luck!

 

QUOTE(JicJac @ Jun 13 2009, 04:33 PM) [snapback]1352988[/snapback]
Talk to them. Telll them how much fun it will be and really build it up. :hug: Good luck!


Totally agree on the building it up. We talked about "school" and how much fun it was going to be as soon as we made the decision. Also each night before I put them to bed (and I still do this), I talk about where they'll be the next day and talk about how exciting its going to be. Each night when I get home, we talk about what they did at school too. They've now started asking me back about how my day was!

 

My girls started in 3 days/week daycare at age 23 months. Prior to that they were with a nanny in our home 5 days/week. For the month leading up to starting, I took them once a week during circle time, and we spent about 1.5 hours there (circle time then snack). They recommended I make them leave while they were having fun, so they wanted to come back.

Then the first official day I picked them up right after lunch and before nap. After that they were full days.

I will not say it was easy. For about 3 weeks they cried when I left, but I would just stand outside the door and the crying literally shut off the minute they no longer saw me. Don't linger with the goodbye. Just say goodbye, give kisses, tell them you'll be back to get them later, and get out of sight. They will come around to cry-less goodbyes.

 

My twins went into daycare at 4 months and out again at 2 years. They did start preschool at 3 1/2 and the transition surprised me. I thought Meghan was going to be so ready and Nolan my sad one. The first two days he cried and she was excited. Then it reversed and she would cry at drop off off and on for a couple of months. As others said, you have to leave quickly, say goodbye and go, don't let them see you upset. The teachers are used to this and know how to handle it. The other thing that I found worked with Meggie was she brought her "snuggles" (taggy squares) with her. She always put them in her cubby, but it made her feel better that they were in the room.

Good luck with the transition.