How should parents prepare their kids for childcare?

Thanks so much mom in alberta!

mom-in-alberta
this is great!!! I won't take word for word...do you mind sharing? I too would like to give props and put your name and daycare name on it if your OK if I include in a hand out? Either way, I understand as we all put a lot of effort into these details.

I put it together after transitioning 3 one year olds and a one and a half year old who were all INSANELY coddled. Feel free to use, modify or ignore! LoL
Now, as to whether the parents read (and comply)..... that remains to be seen. At least we can say we tried!

Lots of great advice ... I agree that the best thing parents can do for babes entering the world of daycare is to help them learn to accept 'delayed gratification' aka as cute as you are the world does not come to a stop the minute you have a need sometimes you need to wait, the help the learn to TRUST their world can meet their needs outside of mom and day by having other people being able to feed them and put them to sleep and to help them with a standard routine most group programs need to have to function - aka healthy nap routine and meals on a typical time frame for most people that sort of 6-9-12-3-6 sort of thing or close to it.

I just typed up a tip sheet on this this evening as I am interviewing a family with an infant tomorrow. But I might modify it a bit after reading Mom in Alberta's! Here's mine:

Tips for Preparing your Infant or Toddler to start in a Day Home
The first time your child enters care with a new caregiver can be a scary and stressful time for both the child and the parent. However, with some advance preparation, you can minimize the stress for both of you and help ensure an easy transition to child care for your child.
 Even if you are nervous or sad about leaving your child with someone else, remain upbeat and positive when speaking about the day home or care provider. Your child will take their cues on how to react to the caregiver from you. If you appear anxious or uncomfortable with it, your child will feel the same way. If you appear to be excited and convey to your child that they will be safe and well-cared for in this environment, they will be comfortable as well.
 Communicate with your child's caregiver! Make sure they are well aware of the child's daily routines, likes and dislikes, personality, and needs. The more consistency between the child's home environment and the day home, the easier the transition will be for the child.
 Try to get your child into a consistent nap routine, if they are not already in one.
 If your child does not already fall asleep independently, try to help them learn to do so. In a home with several young children, the provider may not always be able to take long periods of time to assist a child in falling asleep.
 Encourage your child to play independently at times.
 Help your child to begin learning to self-sooth - providing them with a comfort object, such as stuffed animal or blanket may help with this.
 If your child has never been left with a caregiver before, try to leave them with a friend or family member a few times, at first for a very short period of time, and then increasing the length of time, so that they begin to understand that other caregivers are safe and that you will always return.
 When the child starts at the day home, provide any comfort objects that they have become accustomed to. (blankie, soother, stuffed animal, favorite toy or book)
 If your child is an only child who is not accustomed to being around other children, it may be helpful to take them to a playgroup or other setting where they are engaged with other children, so that the busyness and activity of the day home is not overwhelming to them.
 Try not to make other major changes to the child's routine or life while they are adjusting to their new day home. Keep their home life as normal and consistent as possible.
 Be aware that some children may have significant difficulty separating at first. This is normal and your care provider will have strategies to comfort the child. Prolonging goodbyes may actually make it more difficult for the child to separate from the parent, rather than soothing them. A short, cheerful goodbye and reassurance that you will return will help your child to settle into the program and be engaged in other activities.
 If possible, plan to transition your child into the day home gradually, rather than "cold turkey." This allows your child to become familiar with the caregiver and other children and makes the leap to full-time care less stressful for him or her.

Hey mom-in-alberta, nice post, thank you for such an elaborate but informative post. It was a good read and covered most of the points that parents must ensure that they make their child learn. Thanks again.