Camping Out Ideas

Any tips for dropping kids off at all day daycare/camp for the first time?

My boys are five and sixteen months. On Monday I'm volunteering to help out with a program for new spouses in the military. It's part of a group I'm in. It's going to be from 8AM-3:30PM. I'm excited to go but I'm a worrier and I know I'm going to worry about my boys. Especially my son--16 months. My five year old [cousin who is in our care] goes to pre-school and does a lot of things due to his delays and conditions. I'm not so much worried about him. He's used to the routine. My son is on a totally different routine then the daycare and that's okay. I just worry that he will act up or something will happen. I know the daycare will do great and they are all trained very well but I still worry. He's been before but never for this long. Like I said, I worry, it's in my nature. I'm not overprotective or overbearing at all. They have a lot of social time with other kids [playgroups, park, etc] but I still worry. Does anyone have tips on how to ease my mind? Thanks! Well, I've dropped him off a few times before [for much shorter periods] and he was just fine with it. He didn't cry or anything so that's not much of the concern. It's almost like I think getting through the day will be a struggle! LOL! I'm crazy, right?

Public Comments

1. Your child will cry. The best thing to do is drop him off, hug and kiss him and then leave. Don't delay it. He's going to cry and you will feel like a bad parent for leaving him crying. But you aren't. More than likely he will cry for 5 minutes and then stop. But, the sooner you leave, the sooner he can stop crying. The daycare people are trained to comfort him and distract him.
2. A change in routine is often challenging for children. I believe the first five minutes of dropping off your child is the worst. If they get upset about being dropped off they are usually completely over it before you even get to your car. Have a great time volunteering and remember your child is in good hands, you said so.
3. My 6 year old needs to have every change in routine discussed. I am always chatting about the fun things to do where he is going and the people that he will see and ask him to find out something different that I do not know so he can tell me afterwards. My 15month old just wants someone to play with and change him as long as he can have his teddy bear nearby. They sit him on the top shelf of the book case. What you do has to be tailored to the child.
4. It sounds like your child isn't totally going into this cold turkey.....my best advice to you is that since you trust the personel there, then let them do their job. My son cried when he first went to half day preschool, and I couldn't handle it. But these ladies had been doing this for years and knew exactly how to handle kids like that.......they'd seen it a thousand times. When I asked if I should pull him out, they told me no......he'll be fine, keep coming. I did what they suggested, and it worked just like they said. He'd cry for me til I was at the end of the hallway, then he couldn't care less about me. Tell them your concerns, and listen to their advice. If you continue to have a hard time (which you may not have at all)....then it's ok to seek another alternative. And NO.....you're not crazy......you're a mother, and that instinct is what keeps our children safe.