There is an art AND a science to successful drop-offs. Here is the skinny to make your child’s drop-offs drama-free for BOTH of you!
What you should NOT do…
• Don’t pick different times of day to drop off (the BEST time of day to drop off at MCA is before 8:45 AM when the children are playing outside)
• Please don’t drop off after the work period has begun (Imagine walking into work late with everyone looking at you…your child experiences the same thing when they have to walk into the classroom after 8:45 AM)
• ALWAYS say goodbye
• Don’t promise gifts for good behaviour
• Don’t let your child see that you’re upset (Your child picks up on how you are feeling and copies it, so if you’re upset, they likely will be, too)
• Don’t treat Mondays like Tuesdays (Children are just like us…Mondays are hard to get back into the routine, expect your child may be anxious or nervous)
What you SHOULD do:
• Establish a routine for your drop-off (Children crave routine and knowing what to expect)
• Make your drop-off short and positive (Nothing to worry about but a wonderful day ahead!)
• Trust your child’s teachers (Ensure you attend our meet and greet to connect with the Lead Teacher if that’s what you need to be more comfortable)
• Once you’ve said goodbye, leave. Do not linger! Lingering = A lack of confidence in both your child and the school, neither of which is helping your child’s state of mind (Think of pulling off a band-aid…better to be fast before building up the pain in your head than stretching it out)
• Ask the teacher for help if your child is having a tough time and, for whatever reason, your routine is not working (The longer you stay when your child is having a meltdown, the longer your child takes to calm himself; if what you are doing isn’t working, it’s okay to ask for help…your caregivers want you to!)
• Talk about it ahead of time with your child if they are old enough to understand; attend ‘meet and greet’ before the first day so your child is familiar with the environment and knows who their teacher is (“When we get to school, you will be greeted by one of your teachers, and Mommy/Daddy will give you a kiss and a hug, say goodbye, and you will go outside to play with your friends/into your classroom.”)
• Have a special thing you do with your child after hugs and saying goodbye (Do a high five, blow a kiss, make a silly face)
• Please bring a picture of your family for your child to look at during the school day (At MCA, every classroom has a Family Book where children can go and look at their picture when they are missing you or feeling anxious, which soothes them)
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