https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 24 Apr 2026 21:23:41 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advice-on-daycare-transition#post-2805200 Tue, 20 Feb 2018 13:06:07 +0000 gingerbebe 2805200@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our son's daycare abruptly closed when he was 22 months old, right after DS2 was born. We had 2 crazy months of him staying at home with me with patchworked help from a part-time sitter, some teenagers, and DH when he could spare a minute. Then we started him at his new daycare literally on his 2nd birthday having never once visited or met the teachers or anything.</p> <p>He cried at drop-off for about 2 weeks, but the teachers all assured he me was fine soon after we left. He's been fine. After 2 weeks, he didn't even say bye to me anymore - he just walked into his classroom and never looked back.</p> <p>We never lingered except the first day, when I walked into the play yard with him and we played for about 15 minutes together and then I walked him over to a teacher, said I love you, and left. I heard him howling from the parking lot but I knew a protracted goodbye would be awful for him. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advice-on-daycare-transition#post-2805125 Tue, 20 Feb 2018 10:14:06 +0000 Mrs. Carrot 2805125@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We switched our daughter from a home daycare to a center when she was 2, and honestly, it was a total breeze. I worried about the same things you are, but kids at this age are pretty adaptable. I would talk up "big girl school" and maybe take her to visit the new daycare and meet her teachers, and it's totally normal that there might be some early transition issues like crying, but they tend to go away really fast. I'd do it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advice-on-daycare-transition#post-2805030 Mon, 19 Feb 2018 16:19:12 +0000 crazydoglady 2805030@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I say the sooner, the better. My son was at the same daycare from 6 months until nearly 2.5 when it was just obvious that it wasn't working anymore. I would say it was hardest on me and the old dcp She was upset that we were moving him and for the month we had to continue going there after giving notice, it was super awkward. It was an emotional time for me as well because I felt guilty about moving him, but it was the right thing to do. He's been at his preschool for a little over 2 months and couldn't be happier. After a few days, it was like he had always been there. I have no regrets at all. I would say to go with your gut and to do it sooner rather than later. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advice-on-daycare-transition#post-2805009 Mon, 19 Feb 2018 14:59:05 +0000 MrsSRS 2805009@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If you move write a big number 1 on your calendar on the first day. Then write a 2 on the day a week later, and keep going up to 6. Most transitions like this take six weeks to complete but on day 10 or whatever it can feel like it's been forever. It really helps to see, "Oh I'm in week 2 and we expected this to be challenging for 6 weeks so everything is still totally normal." </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advice-on-daycare-transition#post-2805005 Mon, 19 Feb 2018 14:32:58 +0000 juli7 2805005@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My daughter switched daycares (from a home to a small center) when she was 2.5 years old, and it was much easier for her than for me! We told her about a week and a half before she started at her new daycare. We watched the Daniel Tiger episode about grownups coming back a few times, and we also brought her to visit her new school at the end of the day, so there weren't many kids there and she could see her new classroom and meet her new teachers without feeling overwhelmed. I worried soooooo much about her transition, and although she was a little nervous (she is a shy kid), it just wasn't a big deal to her. One of the teachers was "assigned" to my daughter to help her settle in to her new school, and she quickly formed a bond with that teacher. </p> <p>She only did a half day for her first day, and when I picked her up, she didn't want to leave :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advice-on-daycare-transition#post-2804988 Mon, 19 Feb 2018 13:38:02 +0000 yoursilverlining 2804988@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We never switched daycares, but my daughter had pretty rough transitions each time she transitioned to a new room, even though she knew many of the instructors and many of her classmates moved at similar times. Give things time - - lots of time. Transitions can take months. It's rough.</p> <p>What worked best for us during various room changes:</p> <p>Establishing a routine and giving LO a “job” to do. In one new room, her lead teacher would meet us at the door and welcome her and then ask LO to help her with a fun task. This got LO immediately involved in something so she was less focused on me leaving. </p> <p>Establishing a leaving routine. In the toddler room, LO would go to a certain window (with her lead teacher) and I would come around the outside of the building and we would wave and blow like 3 kisses and then I would turn and leave. In the preschool room, she would give me a “big push” out the door then we would blow a kiss to each other, then I would turn and leave. Establishing – and sticking to – a departure routine was probably the most helpful thing for my daughter.</p> <p>Quick drop-offs. The longer I stayed, the worse things got. Even if she was crying at the window when I left, her teachers said that she stopped crying pretty immediately and I also witnessed this is to be true with other kids/parents. </p> <p>Daniel Tiger – he has some great episodes about parents always coming back, etc. That one in particular was a big game-changer for drops for us as I could reference the message and then it would be reinforced when I came at pick up. </p> <p>Finding things in common with current friends/teachers/daycare center. We also did this with the transition from daycare/Pre-K to Kindergarten. LO would get sad about her “old school”, and it helped to turn the conversation around when I could bridge the two schools. “Wow, look LO! New school has the same type of flowers growing outside as old school did!” or “Hey LO, looks like that friend over there has the same backpack as some of your other friends at old school”. The first few weeks of Kindergarten everything was better at her “old school”, but within a few weeks, that had nearly flipped. I would point out similarities and my LO would add on something new about her new school. Once she brought up something new about her new school, I would ask about it / be very interested and excited about that to kind of talk up the new school. </p> <p>Hope this helps! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advice-on-daycare-transition#post-2804986 Mon, 19 Feb 2018 13:31:57 +0000 skinnycow 2804986@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Gin: Ah, I'm sorry your daughter is having a rough time! The crying/difficult drop-off is what I'm trying to avoid - I'm sure that has been really tough for you :sad: My daughter had a phase (around 18m) where she cried everyday at drop-off and it was terrible.</p> <p>She's about to move from the toddler room to the twos room so I was hoping this would be a good time to move since she'll be transitioning to new teachers anyway. This age is tough, though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advice-on-daycare-transition#post-2804985 Mon, 19 Feb 2018 13:31:54 +0000 kiddosc 2804985@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We moved when my son was 23 months and had to put him in a new daycare. I didn't start my job right away, so i was able to go with him to the new daycare a couple times for a few hours so he could meet everyone and participate with me there. When he started for real it was barely a blip on his radar. The new center was so much more stimulating and structured than his old one and I think that kept him distracted. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advice-on-daycare-transition#post-2804970 Mon, 19 Feb 2018 12:34:24 +0000 Gin 2804970@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My daughter was in the same daycare (at my work) from 4mo-22mo. I recently moved her to a new daycare closer to home and was super nervous. She's been at the new daycare for 2 months now and is doing well. </p> <p>She cried at drop off and pickup every single time for a full month. She never cried at her previous daycare. Towards to end of the month, my husband almost wanted to pull her out because she would start crying as soon as we would pull into the parking lot. </p> <p>She still doesn't love it as much as her previous daycare, but i also had a closer relationship with her daycare providers at the previous place (since it was at my job site). The previous teachers also saw her grow from infant to 2y so I think they had a different relationship with her. I don't love her current teachers, but she's about to move up into a different class so I'm hoping that it grows on us. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advice-on-daycare-transition#post-2804966 Mon, 19 Feb 2018 12:04:50 +0000 skinnycow 2804966@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are thinking about switching to a different daycare for my almost 2 year old DD but I'm struggling with the decision. The new daycare opened within the last few months but is a very established/highly-regarded chain of daycares. The owners also own a few more centers in our area. It is more structured/curriculum-based learning (with play also of course!) and everyone I know that has used the chain has highly recommended it to us. They also offer healthier food options and the location is great. It's literally across the street from my work.</p> <p>All that to say - I'm worried about the transition for my daughter. I really think the new daycare would be a better fit for her but I'm afraid to disrupt her and pull her away from all the kids/teachers she's been with since she was 4 months old. Anyone have advice on switching daycare in general? Was the transition difficult? </p>