How can I get my baby ready for daycare?

Question

my one year old little boy cries when ever i leave him and he is uncomfortable around other children but I have to start back work and I need some ideas to get him ready for daycare.

Answer 1

Ask your day care provider if you can bring him over once or twice a week for a few hours - this way he will get used to the environment, and it won't be such a shock when you return to work full time.  

Answer 2

It'll be hard on the both of you for a wahile until he begins to trust his daycare worker.  Just know that they deal with this all the time.  I would talk to them about your concerns and see what advice they give you.  They may bewilling to have you both come to the daycare and interact for a couple of hours before you go back to work.  This would giv ehim the chance to get to know the kids and the worker.

In my experience, it' s best to get out quickly, even if they are upset.  Get the daycare worker to distract him while you sneak out the door.

Once he learns that he can have fun and he is safe, everything will be fine.

Answer 3

Spend time with friends or family members that have children to get him used to being around other kids. Take him to the park and other public play areas and encourage him to play with other kids his age. He's going to be around other children all day long and it's important he gets used to it ahead of time if possible.

His attachment to you is very normal at this age. Reinforce the fact that you'll be right back whenever you leave him. Try to leave him for short periods of time and in the care of others. Have a friend or neighbor watch him when you get some shopping done and otherwise let other trusted adults in your life take care of him for short periods of time to help him understand that he can have fun without you and you always come back for him.

I recently started watching a one year old girl that had never been in daycare before and she's doing great. She actually clung to me right away and wouldn't let me out of her sight. She slowly starting breaking away from me and starting playing with the other children more over the course of the first few weeks. Sometimes it takes a little time to get comfortable in a new daycare but usually the kids do better than the parents do with the transition :)

Answer 4

start him slow. visit the day care for and hour or so with him. then in a couple of days drop him off for an hour and come back. after a couple of times he will know you are coming back. start going to the store or something and leave him home (with someone there of course) and he will slowly get used to you being gone. he may cry still when you go back to work. i just takes time to get used to it. he will be fine though.  

Answer 5

First of all, let him socialize with other children. bring him to the park, or baby gym, or anywhere where theres other kids and show him that theyre not scary. If he gets nervous around other kids start with little steps to get him used to it. start out having a play date with one other kid, then maybe a few, then take him to the park.

As far as the actual daycare, put him into a small scale daycare that will have the time to make him comfortable. i know its hard but try not to get emotiuonal when you drop him off because that will make him think he needs to ne scared. usually there will be a few tears from kids who are new to daycare but they ware off in a few days and then kids usually look forward to going. i hope this helped!

Answer 6

keep bringing him to daycare he will eventually start playing with the kids it takes time. On weekends take him to the park or to family and friends with kids his age and let him interact with other kids.