Child Care Drop Off Solutions!

With the new school year coming up, it's time to talk about the dreaded child care drop-off dilemma. Maybe your child loves to go to school, and drop-off is always easy, but for most of us, it varies depending on the day, the time, and the child.

After 50 years in early care and education, I've seen the good, the bad, and the ugly side of child-care drop-off scenarios.

Nothing is guaranteed to work for every child, so don't worry if you have to switch strategies and try again.

The Good

This is one of my absolute favorite methods because it can be adjusted for any child or any situation. And it works!

In it, the teacher and parent work together to create a book about the morning. They describe the morning routine using simple words and figures.

 That way it's set in writing and the child can see the progression of how it will go.

I'm attaching a copy of one I made as an example. Just click the photo, and you'll be able to see the whole book. Stick figures work just fine. Kids have imaginations after all.

The Bad

When a parent or the child is unsure about the situation, unclear about how the process is supposed to go, and/or unhappy about leaving, it almost never goes well. Having a plan and confidently sticking to it are two ways to ease everyone's fears.

If you're feeling unsure, have a talk with the teacher ahead of time and find out how they deal with reluctant children. If you agree with their methods, try to trust them and go with what they suggest. If your child seems distressed, instead of going back to comfort them, find out if you can call or text in 1/2 hour or so to get a status update.

The Ugly

No matter how tempting it is to leave when your child is distracted, don't do it. The problem with this is that it just might work, at first, but it encourages mistrust in you. You're better off when your child believes your words. For that to happen, you have to tell the truth. Find a way to say goodbye that works.

Hint:

Remember to validate their feelings.

It looks like you're feeling worried; is that right?

Remember this:

All Feelings are OK but all actions (and words) are not!!

I hope this helps you and thanks so much for stopping by.

If you want more good ideas for child-care drop-offs, you can get our short presentation when you donate just $1.99 to our non-profit organization dedicated to changing the world through early care and education. Click on the photo or the link to donate and learn!

Thanks for reading!

Nanci J Bradley is an early childhood and family educator, author, teacher, family aerobics instructor, and an all-around fun-loving person. She believes in the power of sleep, healthy eating, lifelong learning, and most of all, PLAY!  (click on the word) She studied early childhood ed at Triton College and received her BS in education in 1986 from NIU. She received her MA in human development from Pacific Oaks College in 2011. She lives and teaches in Madison WI.