https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 08 May 2026 10:19:29 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experience-with-switching-preschoolschild-care-centers#post-2608621 Mon, 22 Aug 2016 17:14:19 +0000 mauxie 2608621@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lawbee11: Aww yay! Glad to hear it went well :)</p> <p>LO does have a few classmates that have moved on to new schools just recently. I'm friends with their parents on FB and they've posted "first day" photos. I'm going to show my LO in hopes that she understands going to a new school is just kind of what you do as a part of growing up. Hopefully she'll get it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experience-with-switching-preschoolschild-care-centers#post-2608278 Mon, 22 Aug 2016 10:06:44 +0000 lawbee11 2608278@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mauxie: Just wanted to update that LO started preschool today and did amazingly well. She was so excited as we were walking in and immediately ran off to play. Hopefully it continues! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experience-with-switching-preschoolschild-care-centers#post-2603431 Fri, 12 Aug 2016 19:07:08 +0000 PawPrints 2603431@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So much easier than I expected it to be. We switched at 15 months. She cried at drop off a little bit but quickly fell love with the new place. Now in the morning she can't wait to get out the door. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experience-with-switching-preschoolschild-care-centers#post-2603312 Fri, 12 Aug 2016 14:12:06 +0000 emilye519 2603312@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We switched dd to a new daycare a little over a month ago when we moved, this new daycare is much closer to our house and so far she has done so well! DD is only 18 months old, and had only been at the other center for 6 months, so not nearly as attached as your lo but she definitely had her person there. She had some tears at drop off for the first couple of weeks, but really has done great at the new center. So don't be afraid if switching is something you think is right for the long term. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experience-with-switching-preschoolschild-care-centers#post-2603301 Fri, 12 Aug 2016 13:49:40 +0000 lawbee11 2603301@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'll let you know in a couple of weeks! We're switching LO from a daycare center to a preschool (only 3-5 year olds). She's actually been out of care and home with DH since the end of July, so I don't know if that's going to help or hurt with the transition. We've been playing up how she's a big girl and this is school now, not daycare, to try to differentiate between the two. We also got her a brand new backpack, lunch box, water bottle, etc. to try to get her excited. There was an open house last night and at first she was saying she didn't want to go, but she had a blast and even made a couple of new friends. So I could see it going either way but I'm hoping it goes smoothly! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experience-with-switching-preschoolschild-care-centers#post-2603292 Fri, 12 Aug 2016 13:38:51 +0000 Smurfette 2603292@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mauxie: We still can't believe that it went so well. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experience-with-switching-preschoolschild-care-centers#post-2603289 Fri, 12 Aug 2016 13:35:51 +0000 mauxie 2603289@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Smurfette: wow that sounds like a dream! :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experience-with-switching-preschoolschild-care-centers#post-2603286 Fri, 12 Aug 2016 13:26:19 +0000 Smurfette 2603286@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We switched LO in May. She was 3yr 2 months. We visited a couple times, tour and then an open house (brand new facility). Then we talked it up as her big girl school. The first day I dropped her off and she was the only kid there yet (I have to drop off early when solo) and she started playing right away. I had to ask her for a hug bye and then she went back to play. It went WAY better then expected. No issues to this day still. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experience-with-switching-preschoolschild-care-centers#post-2603284 Fri, 12 Aug 2016 13:24:28 +0000 psw27 2603284@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mauxie: yeah the older they are it could go either way! In the end, she would adjust but its still a hard choice. We moved LO so he would have more space, it was a better facility, etc. but there was nothing "wrong" with his old place and we felt so guilty when he was misbehaving that we had made the wrong choice! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experience-with-switching-preschoolschild-care-centers#post-2603282 Fri, 12 Aug 2016 13:22:42 +0000 mauxie 2603282@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@psw27: Aw, glad he settled in after just 2 weeks!</p> <p>I mentioned to DD (almost 4) the possibility of changing schools and she said "I'll run out into the parking lot and get in the car and drive home! All by myself! Haha!" She thought it was hilarious. </p> <p>I'm thinking since she is a little older and understands changing schools, meeting new teachers/friends a bit better, she will either take it okay or be even more aware/sad about leaving her current place. Sigh.. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experience-with-switching-preschoolschild-care-centers#post-2603278 Fri, 12 Aug 2016 13:12:12 +0000 psw27 2603278@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We just switched LO at the beginning of July. He had been attending his previous day care starting at 4 months old, and he just turned 2. We ended up having him home with us for 2 weeks in between because we were scheduled to go on vacation. The transition has been okay - he definitely cried every day for the first week or two, and there were some behavior issues at daycare (reverting back to biting, not napping well, etc.) and a little bit of crappy sleep at home - which I think was mostly because he was exhausted from being at a much bigger place with more activities and outdoor time. After about week two, he's been fine! He cries occasionally when I drop him off - but he did that at the old center. Overall, I don't regret making the change at all. He likes his new friends and is happy! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experience-with-switching-preschoolschild-care-centers#post-2603257 Fri, 12 Aug 2016 12:13:28 +0000 mauxie 2603257@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@PurplePeony: @Mrsbells: @KayKay: @lamariniere: Thanks for sharing! I usually don't do drop-offs but if we switch schools, I will.. That's one thing I'm worried about! I feel like I may project my anxiety to her and we are both just not used to me ever taking her somewhere and leaving her there. I have gotten used to just doing pick-ups, where I can come in and be all smiles and say let's go home lol. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experience-with-switching-preschoolschild-care-centers#post-2603004 Fri, 12 Aug 2016 02:51:15 +0000 lamariniere 2603004@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We switched my son at 3.5 when we moved. It actually went really well! We talked about it for maybe a month before the change happened. I went and stayed with him for 30 minutes the first day while he met everyone and kind of got his bearings. I was prepared to stay for a little while each day for a week (daycare absolutely had no problem with this and even encourages it), but on the 2nd day, after he found the teacher and kind of looked around, he said I could leave. Good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experience-with-switching-preschoolschild-care-centers#post-2602948 Thu, 11 Aug 2016 21:29:19 +0000 KayKay 2602948@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>LO1 is 4.25y and has gone to 1 daycare center and 3 preschools due to a variety of moves. We had at least a month off between most of the switches, so I think that helped with the transitions, honestly. It got a little bit harder after 3y, since she had friends that she actually remembered, but I don't feel like it has been traumatizing...to her or us! She has adapted really well and always been relatively excited about a new school &amp; new teachers/friends. </p> <p>As for us, I would say that I have loved certain things about all of her schools, and basically have found there is no place that is perfect/has everything! Only one of the switches was truly our choice, and I waffled about that one for a couple weeks but was really happy I did it in the end. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experience-with-switching-preschoolschild-care-centers#post-2602890 Thu, 11 Aug 2016 20:16:08 +0000 Mrsbells 2602890@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mauxie: Last summer we pulled LO out of daycare for 3 months and then in the fall she started at a new preschool. She cried her heart out every day at drop off for weeks. and then she loved it and made lots of friends. so it might be tough in the beginning but kids adapt quickly </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experience-with-switching-preschoolschild-care-centers#post-2602789 Thu, 11 Aug 2016 18:07:11 +0000 PurplePeony 2602789@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We're in the process of switching because the center where DD (who is 2.5) was since she was an infant closed and she doesn't start at her new center until September. I'm a little worried that it will be a rough adjustment after being home for 3 1/2 weeks, but that's how the cookie crumbles. We were lucky to get a spot at a highly coveted center (my job gives us registration priority) but it is about 6 blocks from my office and her previous center was across the street, so that will be an adjustment too! A new center is opening in the old location and we could have enrolled her there, but I felt that a) it might be confusing for her to go back and find all new teachers, mostly new kids, rooms rearranged, etc and b) I have doubts about how organized and smooth the opening of this center will be, based on my interactions with the owners thus far. So we chose the well-established "known entity" spot over the convenience of having her right next door.</p> <p>I don't really have advice or stories yet, since she hasn't started at the new center, but so far she seems to understand/accept that she's not going to school and will be going to a new school soon. She definitely misses her friends and teachers, and asks if they can come to our house. It's sad but I'm hopeful that she will bond quickly once she's in her new environment. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experience-with-switching-preschoolschild-care-centers#post-2602763 Thu, 11 Aug 2016 17:06:30 +0000 mauxie 2602763@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Can you please share with me your personal stories with switching preschools/centers?? The good, bad, ugly! </p> <p>We really like our current center but we are seriously considering another preschool for our eldest for various reasons (mostly to do with later Kindergarten placement and the loss of a super great Pre-K teacher at her current school). Our younger two kids would stay. LO has been at our current place since the infant class so we are all pretty attached. </p> <p>I know it'll take some time for LO and our fam to acclimate to the possible new school so just wondering what that has been like for some of you. Please share! </p>