I have transitioned the last 3 babies into my daycare slowly as part-timers before the Moms went back to work but one cried for 2 months, one for 4 months and one for 2 1/2 months. I'm not doing that any more. From now on they are coming in full-time as fast as possible because that's when they settle in. Part-time transitioning seems to take forever. Anyway, that's my experience. There are no rules, every child settles in at their own pace. But I definitely talk to the parents about not picking them up at the slightest whimper, helping them learn to be apart from them even if it's in the next room for a bit and everything else they can do to help their child adjust to being away from them a bit more. Also, I find it's important for the parent to hand their child to us and be happy about it and stress free so the baby isn't stressed at the beginning of the day.