Understanding Child Care

Daycare, Your Toddler, And The End Of The Day Transition

25 February 2020

Victoria Jimenez

Your toddler doesn't want to leave daycare—and you don't know what to do. In the realm of early childhood issues, the child's over-enjoyment of the daycare day is a positive problem for most parents. If your tot puts up a fight at the end of every day, take a look at the simple ways to ease this transition.

Create a Routine

Routines do not only help to ease morning drop-off separation anxiety. A predictable pick-up routine provides your toddler with essential information on what is to come. Instead of a "surprise" pick-up, a steady routine provides your young child with the cues that signal it is almost time to go home with mom or dad.

What should your child's pick-up routine look like? While every toddler child care routine may differ, try:

• A song. Choose a special end of the day song you sing with your child, or the daycare teacher sings, before they go home.
• A movement. Create a pick-up dance or hand signal to use with your child before leaving daycare.
• A verbal signal. Devise a goodbye saying (a few words) for your toddler to wish their teacher or friends a happy rest of the day.

If you are still not sure how to incorporate pick-up into the rest of your toddler's daily routine, talk to the teacher. The early childhood educator can help you with the end of the day time.

Give Your Child Time

Does the school-to-home transition seem rushed? The increasing sense of independence your toddler feels may make a sudden change difficult. If your toddler prefers to work on their own schedule:

• Arrive early. If possible, arrive at pick-up five minutes early. This gives your child extra time to finish what they are doing before you go home.
• Talk to the teacher. Can the teacher use verbal cues to help your toddler wrap-up their last activity of the day early?
• Demonstrate patience. While you should not wait hours for your child to finish their last finger painting of the day, show patience and give your tot a few extra minutes at daycare.

Your busy day may make a lengthy after-school transition challenging. If you struggle to give your toddler the time they need at pick-up, use the extra few minutes to your own advantage. As your toddler plays, builds, or creates (under the watchful eye of the child care teacher), use the time to answer a few emails, text a friend, or read an article online.

Does your child enjoy their toddler child care services? If their enjoyment makes the after-school transition tricky, talk to the teacher, create a new routine, and give your toddler the time they need to switch from at-school to at-home activities. It may help to ask other professional daycare services, like Lighthouse  Academy, for more advice on how to help your child.

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