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Hi DCPs
How was the transition to school for your own kids? This would be for children who have been at the home daycare with the parent. Separation anxiety? Any other issues?
As I am researching starting my own hdc, I realize my kids will be with me till they start school. Have your kids coped well in kindergarten?
By the way, this forum is great. So much useful information.
Mine did totally fine. She was happy to get out of the house full of screaming babies and play with a whole bunch of kids her own age! Hahaha
I had/have the same concerns, so I'm planning to put my 3 year son into preschool for the next couple of years ( I reside in a province where school doesn't start until age 5). Next year, he'll just go 1 morning a week and the following year, he'll go a couple mornings a week. Thankfully, I have family who can drive him there and back since I'll be working. I'm hoping that being away from me a little bit and learning to follow instructions from someone other than me will help in his transition. Plus, as much I love my kids, I don't think being away from each other a few hours a week is a bad thing for either of us. LOL.
I put both of mine in PT licensed care for about 6 months before school started. I wanted them to get used to the larger group size/routines etc. I'm so glad I did it! Transitions were great!
One of my dcks is starting kindergarten this year (no JK in our province), and so I've been doing school readiness with him. He takes instruction well in large group programs (like dance and soccer). I plan to offer a half day preschool in the fall (to fill his space while he's in school) and provide more structure for my 3.5yo in preparation for school. She does well socially in play groups and listens to other adults, so I don't plan on putting her into any formal preschool.
I feel like your children would be better prepared for Kindergarten after being with you in your home daycare over children just home with mom as they have that group setting, routine and just have to learn to do things at certain times. The thing some may struggle with is the separation and moving into a much bigger group. But, this should come fairly quickly for most.
A few things you can do to aid this process is attend playgroups with your group to get them into a larger, busier setting. Also, look into a local preschool or even try an arrange a swap with another provider close by (you can each switch out your own child for a half day a week so they are separated from you.
My 3 yr old attends one day a week preschool. It is a 5 minute walk from our house. It took her many. many, many weeks to adapt to the drop off but she was also content at pick up and she has come to enjoy it greatly. It is cheap, it's only 2hrs once a week but it does prepare her for future separation at kindergarten. Another option is just some evening/weekend classes without you. My daughter does swimming and dance on her own. It's only 30min but again she is practicing that separation from mom in a group setting. It all counts.
The main thing to consider is your child's personality. Some kids will be more than happy at home for those 4 yrs then be beyond excited to finally ditch the daycare to hang out with kids their own age. Others may need a bit more help with the initial separation. You should have a sense of whether your child will need more help with separations fairly early on and can then put more focus into trying to get them some practice in the year or two leading into Kindergarten.
I think this goes beyond just our children though...even the DCC can have a very difficult time transitioning from home daycare to kindergarten based on their personality. I spent the last year and a half trying to convince my DCG's parents to put her in preschool with my daughter (even offered to pay for it) to get her used to group settings and being away from her parents and I. They backed out every single time (you re-register each season). Then they had a baby in January and they tried to register her in spring preschool. The child threw the biggest fit at drop off and on day 3 they pulled her out. The child had never even spent time in the classroom...they never got her through the door. This is a child that will greatly struggle with full day kindergarten with upwards of 30-35kids in the classroom.
Thank you! We have in fact enrolled our daughter in soccer and will enrol her in swimming when she turns 3. She stays for an hour of child care at early years but only with one lady that she likes. I have held PT child care off as we are moving in a couple of months, but hope to be in a better routine once we are all settled.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lee-Bee