Welcome to a brand new chapter, where the excitement of new beginnings and the uncertainties of unfamiliar territory mix with a lot of emotions—for both you and your little one. Starting at a new center is a remarkable milestone, but it comes with its fair share of challenges: new friends to make, new spaces to explore, and new routines to adapt to. It’s a lot to take in!

As your child begins to settle into this new environment, don’t be surprised if tears and tantrums become part of the equation. It’s natural to find yourself questioning whether you’re making the right decisions – but let us assure you, nobody knows them better than you do so trust your instincts. These challenges are part of your child’s normal growth, even if they aren’t always comfortable for either of you.

If you are looking for ways to best support your little one during the drop-off process, here’s our advice.

Leave enough time at drop off, so it isn’t rushed (if you can)
Asking your child to show you something they enjoy doing can help ease the transition into care. They become distracted or engaged and they don’t have to say goodbye straight away. But be careful not to hang around too long, as this can have the opposite effect.

Always say goodbye
This one is a hard one. The temptation is to sneak out while they are happy, and it makes sense. However, more often than not this can cause them to take longer to settle over time. Next time they are dropped off they may be more hesitant to leave your side as they think you will disappear. So as hard as it is, always say goodbye. And then leave quickly, don’t linger once you’ve said you’re leaving.

Talk with your child
Talk to your child about their day, what they like to play with, who they like to play with, and what they are looking forward to. You can then use this to help reassure them when they need it.

Communicate with your child’s Educator
Let them know what your child likes to do at home. Let them know how you help settle your child at home. Ask your Educator what your child likes to play with. At pick-up time, ask what activities will be happening the next day so that you can talk to your child about what to expect.

Provide a child with your timeline
Your child feeling uncertain at drop off can sometimes be because they don’t understand that it is not forever. Or it can feel like a long time to them. Giving them a timeline they can understand and let their Educator know so they can help with this. For example… “After you have had afternoon tea and a play, I will be back to collect you, then we can go to the park.”

Call the Centre if you are going to be late
This one is a good one, especially for older children. Ask the Educators to pass on the message to your child so they know you will be a little late and why, or if someone else is going to be collecting them instead.

Not every tantrum or meltdown means there is something wrong
Another important thing to remember is that often tears and tantrums can be attributed to other things. They don’t always mean that something is wrong. When a child is going through a developmental leap or growth spurt, hasn’t slept enough, or is hungry; these can all come out as big emotions. So it is important to talk with your Educators to understand; Whether this is new? Has something happened? More often than not your child will be fine. Once you are out of sight and they are busy, your child will generally settle pretty quickly. Working with your child’s Educator and being consistent in how you handle transitions will go a long way to helping your child regulate their emotions and handle separation.