Did Your Promotion Mean Longer Hours? 3 Ways To Help Your Child Adjust At Preschool

Your career is taking off, and it's nice to see all your hard work be recognized. However, you know that your new responsibilities also mean that you will be working longer hours, and this means that you need to enroll your kid in daycare. As you prepare for your new position at work, use these tips to help your child adjust to their new schedule, too.

Keep Their Routine

Too many changes at once can increase negative behaviors in young children who may not have the verbal skills to express their stress. While some things will naturally change, it is best to stick to your child's normal routine as much as possible. Try to tuck them into bed the same time each night, and perform your usual morning rituals even if you have to wake up earlier. If a change in the routine is unavoidable, then try to introduce it before your child's first week at preschool.

Talk to the Teacher

Child care teachers are highly trained in child development, and they have tons of experience helping children transition into their program. Let your child's teacher know if you anticipate any potential struggles with adjusting. You might also give them a few tips about the things that your child likes so that they can incorporate these into the day This way, they can let you know how your child is doing, and they may have suggestions such as age-appropriate books that you can read together to open up dialogue about your child's day. Finding out your child's favorite activity or the name of a new friend helps you tap into the things that your child loves about their new classroom.

Plan Special Bonding Times

You can blend your family time with your child's day by finding ways to connect the things that your child is doing at school to your home activities. For instance, you could choose to read a book together at night that pertains to the weekly lesson plan theme. Alternatively, you could plan a weekend activity that supports something that your child is learning, such as planting flowers when your child is learning about nature. Talk with a preschool service, like Jumpin Jax Kids, to better anticipate what will be on your child's curriculum so you can plan activities ahead of time.

The upcoming weeks are bound to be full of excitement as your child comes home with lots of news about everything that happened during their day. By making sure that your child is well rested and knows that you value what they learn at their preschool program, you can expect that they will continue to thrive with this new change to your family's lifestyle.