4-yr-old clinging before daycare
4-yr-old clinging before daycare
I have a 4 year old boy who has been in daycare 4 days a wk for almost 3 yrs now. When he first started, he wouldn't even say bye, just run off and play. The last year or so has been not like that. He clings to me and doesn't want to let go. I have to get one of the carers to take him. He doesn't cry. He LOVES daycare and has a great day. 9/10 he doesn't want to leave at home time. So it has nothing to do with not liking daycare. I feel like it's a habit that he continues. I need to break it before Prep.
Have there been changes at the centre such as educators leaving or a special friend leaving? As these things can impact upon a child wanting to stay/go to a centre. Have you asked your son what the reasons are as to why he doesn't want to go? The fact that he doesn't want to come home at the end of the day shows that he is indeed settled while at the centre, so perhaps he is just going through a phase of needing reassurance from you that you will return. Some other ideas are making a point of talking about the educators often at home and on the way to the centre, so that he is making a connection outside of his time there and also before he arrives. Have a chat with the educators about some simple traditions that you can start each morning that he can look forward to and that you could even continue after he goes to prep such as a place to stand where he can see you waving as you drive away, or a special toot that he knows is just for him. The centre will be starting their transition to school visits soon, so perhaps you could go to some of these, ask the prep teacher what school drop of could look like, and then the centre could support this process further for you by incorporating some of those practices into their daily routines
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