Starting nursery is the biggest change your child has faced yet. Here are four steps to helping you and your child start nursery like a pro.
Talk it up
Introduce your child to the idea that they will soon be starting nursery. Introduce it as early as you feel your child needs. Some children need more time than others to wrap their heads around new changes to their lives. Be excited about it, talk about the positives that come with starting nursery. If you are excited, your child will be excited. This is also a good time talk about being nervous or afraid in new situations and how to tackle that. Books and stories are a great way to do this.
Mirror nursery routines at home
Giving your child a sense of stability will be crucial when introducing new routines in their lives. While you don’t need to have nursery lessons at home as well, mirroring a similar structure helps. Try to keep a similar routine while your child is at home. If for example, lunch is around noon and then is followed by naptime, try and keep that same schedule at home.
Partner with teachers
Teachers work extremely hard to prepare lessons and to create safe and healthy learning environments for your little ones. Don’t be afraid to form a relationship with your child’s teacher. They know how your child is handling the day to day activities while they are away from you, they know if your child is writing their b’s backwards, or if they can recognize all the colours. Teachers want parents to be interested in their child’s day and they are more than willing to share any extra info or tips you may need.
It’s okay to be sad
This is a big transition and not just for your little one, but for you. You will go from spending all your time with them to your child being in nursery for part or all of the day. It’s okay to feel sad that your baby is growing into an independent child and taking on the world by storm. So be easy on yourself. Use this time for you. Spend some quality time with yourself, or fill it getting things done you normally don’t have time for.
