Charging for transition dates

[Inspired by Reggio]

Ya to clarify - I do not want true transitions stretched out over months unless the newbie is the sibling of a current client and they are here daily ANYWAY for drop off and pick up visits ... those kids tend to ease right into program with NO transition cause the babe has known the program and me since birth!

My typical process is clients sign on for the space with a start date usually 2-3 weeks from that time ... so in that 3 week period for week 1 parent and child come for a few one hour play dates at different times of the day and parent stays in program so I can see how parents reads feeding and other cues and parent can see how the program operates and how I meet kids needs and that 'trust bond' between us can grow so that their own 'anxiety about leaving' are not transferred to the child, during week 2 parent and child come for play dates daily in morning or afternoon for two hours or so parent stays on 'property' but way if child is not coping parent can come back after 10-15 minutes of me trying so the child is not left to 'cry unconsoled' for too long and because children cannot tell time 15 minutes of 5 hours same to them but the longer they cry the more 'anxiety' that grows - so child learns that parent always comes back eventually, week 3 child comes in 'transition' week so day one plan for couple hours and parent comes back, day two a little longer and so forth until day 5 of that week is almost a full day .... that week I charge the full week for cause I am providing the 'care' and they are in the space so to speak!

I have had to start kids 'cold turkey' in the past ... it is just more stressful cause they tend to cry all day verses weaned in kids who just periodically cry throughout the day as you work out the routine with them.

I agree that having a child come 1 or 2 days a week for a long time to 'wean' into daycare does not really helping to 'transition' ... too much time between visits and so forth just drags out the process and increases the anxiety.... children need consistency and practice to master new things and well that means daily exposure ideally and part time infants generally take a long time to adjust.

[Cadillac]

If mom is there, it's free and only lasts about an hour to and hour and a half MAX. If mom is not there my standard rates apply

[Sandbox Sally]

After having done several transition and non transition starts, I have to say that I am not a fan of transition days. I don't feel it lessens the "trauma" of separation - except perhaps for the parent.
I do of course honour parents' requests if they wish to do transitioning. I charge my half day fee, which is 15 dollars less than my full day fee. The child comes at 11am, stays for lunch and nap, plays for a bit, then goes home.

[michellesmunchkins]

After having done several transition and non transition starts, I have to say that I am not a fan of transition days. I don't feel it lessens the "trauma" of separation - except perhaps for the parent.
I do of course honour parents' requests if they wish to do transitioning. I charge my half day fee, which is 15 dollars less than my full day fee. The child comes at 11am, stays for lunch and nap, plays for a bit, then goes home.

Agree with Alpha! I really discourage the whole idea of transition weeks/days/months ugh. I find they totally disrupt my normal group and because they are here and there days the child really isn't transitioning, its the parents who are. The child will forget 5 days later that things were ok here and you have to go through it all over again. I only allow a 1-2 hour 'transition' Parents drop child off a couple days before daycare is to begin for a couple hours. This gives them time to realize that they will survive without their child during their working hours and that their child will be just fine in daycare Then they start daycare as per normal. So if they are 5 days a week, the come 5 days a week.

In the past, I have done the slow transition and didn't find it helped at all. Could just be the kids I had as some daycare providers swear by transitioning slowly, but for me, no thanks. I'd rather just dive right in I don't charge for those 1-2 hours as it gives me some time to get to know the child, but anything after that would be charged either my half day or full day fees depending on how long they were coming.

I also don't offer the transition with mom/dad present. I totally feel that sends the wrong idea to the child. It confuses them...why last week did mom and dad get to hang out with me at daycare but this week I have to go alone...I'm a total cold turkey lady.