Starting your child in Preschool can be a nightmare for both parents and their children if you don’t properly prep them for this transition. Certainly, this first social interaction with society is a difficult ordeal to go through because your toddler leaves the restricted family nest and finds himself in a world completely unknown to him.
The question then is:
How do I establish a smooth transition for my child going to a Preschool?

During the integration period, your toddler’s reactions can range from a simple irritation to a total refusal of the situation. It is undoubtedly, then, that several factors come into play to determine the attitude that your child develops in the face of this significant change, including age, temperament, degree of attachment to your presence, etc. This period usually lasts between two and three weeks.

Despite these differences, there are four comprehensive stages that are dictated by the psychic nature of the little one:

A-     The Discovery of Novelty

This stage usually lasts between three and five days. Indeed, a panoply of sensations animates this period: curiosity, glare, excitement, etc.

B-     The Shock of Reality

After the discovery, comes disenchantment. The child now shows his disappointment with going to daycare every day. He begins to feel insecure and refuses to go. It can even become aggressive. In most cases, the child tends to isolate himself from other children because he feels abandoned. This shock is quite normal for a child who has lost his landmarks.

C-     Fear of Abandonment

Anxiety and sadness invade the toddler. As a result, he closes in on himself and establishes barriers with the entourage of the daycare. Don’t be worried if your child regresses and starts sucking their thumb, peeing in their diaper, or sleeping longer than expected. Experiencing the need to look for the smell of your home in the blanket is also a very natural fact for a child, fifteen days after his arrival at the daycare.

D-    Acceptance

Your child can finally identify with this larger world. Trust is built up as you go. As a result, he becomes more interactive with the daycare/ preschool environment and begins to participate, make friends and have fun. After the effort comes to comfort. If you are in the market for a Southern California Top Rated Preschool try The Vine Learning Center. They have infant and preschool classes now enrolling for the 2022-2023 San Diego Preschool Enrollment.