One way to alleviate anxiety when it comes to taking your child to a centre is knowing what to expect. By finding out how your child will be spending their day, you'll establish a sense of trust between yourself and the person taking care of them.
Rachel Porsovigan is a mother of two adult boys and has been working as a full-time childcare educator for nine years. She currently works as a room leader for the toddler room.
According to Ms Porsovigan, here are some things to keep in mind if you do decide to take your child to childcare:
A mother herself, Rachel Porsovigan understands the anxieties and concerns parents have about leaving their children under the care of someone else. Source: Rachel Porsovigan
1. Prepare and orient
Ms Porsovigan emphasises the need to prepare and to talk with your child about going to childcare. She believes that talking with your child will help him or her know what to expect.
Orientation will help alleviate your anxieties because you will be able to see what the environment in the centre is like, and your child will be able to mingle with other children beforehand.
2. Separation anxiety
Separation anxiety is normal and will be felt by both parents and children.
"Whether we like it or not, the child will cry if you leave them, Even [an] adult, I think, has separation anxiety-even so with a child. What we encourage is [parents] call us as much as they can so they can also check in on them."
If your child is new to the centre, Ms Porsovigan suggests not to leave him or her there for more than four hours. Spending the whole day in a foreign place may leave the child feeling abandoned. The hours can be increased gradually until the child is able to cope.
3. Routine
At the centre where Ms Porsovigan works, early arrivals typically have breakfast in one room. This means that children of different ages will be able to socialise in the morning before they are separated into their age groups.
Meals, are of course, served throughout the day – including morning tea, lunch, and afternoon tea.
Naps for toddlers typically last from 1 ½ to 2 hours in the afternoon after lunch. The centre provides the beds and the sheets for the children.
According to Ms Porsovigan, programs established in the centre are implemented throughout the day.
"The children's activities [we implement] to enhance their learning, to teach them socialisation, and to boost their self-esteem though interaction and group play."
In the toddler room, activities throughout the day include table activities such as puzzles and building blocks; arts and crafts; and group time where stories are read, interests are discussed, finger puppets are played and nursery rhymes are sung.
4. Socialisation
Included in the activities children do in childcare is playing with building blocks. Source: Rachel Porsovigan
Through group play, children learn to respect the belongings and toys of others', and are able to express care for their peers.
According to her, “I have a child [in my room], when someone cries, she’s always there. Those things you see in a child – that should always be encouraged.”
5. Independence
One of the ways Ms Porsovigan's centre promotes independence is by teaching children to self-serve during meals. Children put their plates away when they are done eating, and are encouraged to clean up after themselves.
6. When fights happen
Fighting will always be an issue between children who have not yet developed the ability to express and communicate their emotions. According to Ms Porsovigan, the way to solve fights between young children is through redirection.
“We make sure we redirect them to other activities. At the same time, we try to explain to them why the other child got upset or why you yourself got upset. Communication is always important even if they are still young. But they do learn, and they do understand.”
7. It’s a partnership
Ms Porsovigan emphasises that the number one way to feel comfortable about leaving your child in childcare is by having a positive relationship with educators. You have to trust the person helping you raise your child.
“I always tell parents that we have to establish trust with their educators. First question parents usually ask is if their child is playing with the rest of the children? But actually what's more important is the child must learn to trust their educators.”
Educators bridge the gap between home life and care at the centre; and as Ms Porsovigan states, when children see that their parents are comfortable leaving them in the educator’s care, they start to feel comfortable themselves.
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