University of FloridaSolutions for Your Life

Download PDF
Publication #FAR0309

 

Helping Your Child Adjust to Child Care: Child Care 31

Suzanna Smith2

Figure 1. 
[Click thumbnail to enlarge.]

Almost 13 million of the 18 million children younger than five years of age in the U.S. are in some form of regular childcare (Overturf Johnson, 2002). This means that millions of parents are finding ways to help their children adjust to being away from Mom or Dad and get used to a new routine and situation. Child development experts recommend a number of strategies, particularly in the early weeks of care.

Parents can help their child prepare for care by talking about what the child will do during the time in care and when they will see the child next. An older toddler may like to pretend she or he is the parent taking you to child care. With younger children, "play disappearing/reappearing games such as peekaboo and hide-and-seek" (Zero to Three, n.d., a). These games show your child that while things and people may go away, they come back. Emphasize the message that "Mommy [or Daddy] may go away, but [they] always [come] back" (Zero to Three, a). Children's books about children in care can also be helpful.

The goodbye time is very important. When it's time to leave "don't linger or show worry" (Zero to Three, n.d., a). Usually, "when parents say a brief, upbeat good-bye, their children stop crying and adjust more quickly" (Zero to Three, b). Have a special routine to help your child feel secure and make the transition easier. This might be exchanging a big hug and kiss and saying, "'See you later, alligator'" (Zero to Three).

To keep things going smoothly in care, stay involved with the childcare provider (Child Care Aware, 2001-2006). Meet regularly and ask questions to make sure that things are going well. The more confident you are, the more relaxed your child is likely to be.

Listening, learning, and living together: it's the science of life. "Family Album" is a co-production of University of Florida IFAS Extension, the Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, and of WUFT-FM. If you'd like to learn more, please visit our website at http://www.familyalbumradio.org.

To listen to the radio broadcast:

http://radiosource.net/radio_stories/453.mp3

http://radiosource.net/radio_stories/453.wav

References

American Academy of Pediatrics. (2000). Separation anxiety. [Accessed December 13, 2012] http://www2.aap.org/publiced/BK0_SeparationAnxiety.htm

Child Care Aware. (2001-2006). A parent's guide to choosing safe and healthy child care. Retrieved June 6, 2006, from http://www.childcareaware.org/en/tools/parentsguide/

Overturf Johnson, J. (2002). Who's minding the kids? Child care arrangements: Winter 2002 (Current Population Reports, P70-101).Washington, DC: U.S. Census Bureau.

Zero to Three. (n.d., a). I'm going back to work and sending my 12-month-old to day care. I'm worried that she'll have trouble adjusting. How can I get her ready? [Accessed June 6, 2006] http://www.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ter_key_childcare_childcare&AddInterest=1152

Zero to Three. (n.d., b). Matching your infant's or toddler's style to the right child care setting. [Accessed April 18, 2012] http://www.zerotothree.org/early-care-education/child-care/matching-your-infants-child-care-setting.html

Footnotes

1.

This document is FAR0309,one of a series of the Family Youth and Community Sciences Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Broadcast as program 453. Created June 2006. Published on EDIS March 2012. In the interest of time and/or clarity, the broadcast version of this script may have been modified. Visit the EDIS website at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.

2.

Suzanna Smith, associate professor, Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611.

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension service.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Nick T. Place, Dean.