Welcome to Trio Early Learning. Starting at a new center is a significant milestone, but it naturally comes with its challenges: new friendships to forge, new spaces to discover, and new routines to embrace. It’s a lot to navigate, and it brings a mix of emotions for both you and your little one.
As your child begins settling into their new environment at Trio, don’t be surprised if tears and tantrums make an appearance. It’s completely natural to question whether you’re making the right choices—but let us reassure you, nobody knows your child better than you do, so trust your instincts. These challenges are simply part of your child’s normal development, even when they feel uncomfortable for everyone involved.
If you’re looking for ways to best support your little one during the drop-off process at Trio Early Learning, here’s our advice.
Leave enough time at drop-off, so it isn’t rushed (if you can).
Asking your child to show you something they enjoy doing can help ease the transition into care. They become distracted or engaged and don’t have to say goodbye straight away. But be careful not to hang around too long, as this can have the opposite effect.
Always say goodbye.
This one is hard. The temptation is to sneak out while they’re happy, and it makes sense. However, more often than not this can cause them to take longer to settle over time. Next time they’re dropped off they may be more hesitant to leave your side as they think you’ll disappear. So as difficult as it is, always say goodbye. And then leave quickly—don’t linger once you’ve said you’re leaving.
Talk with your child.
Talk to your child about their day at Trio, what they like to play with, who they like to play with, and what they’re looking forward to. You can then use this to help reassure them when they need it.
Communicate with your child’s Educator.
Let them know what your child likes to do at home. Share how you help settle your child at home. Ask your Educator what your child enjoys playing with at Trio. At pick-up time, ask what activities will be happening the next day so you can talk to your child about what to expect.
Provide your child with a timeline.
Your child feeling uncertain at drop-off can sometimes be because they don’t understand that it’s not forever. Or it can feel like a long time to them. Give them a timeline they can understand and let their Educator know so they can help reinforce this. For example… “After you’ve had afternoon tea and a play, I’ll be back to collect you, then we can go to the park.”
Call Trio if you’re going to be late.
This one is especially helpful for older children. Ask the Educators to pass on the message to your child so they know you’ll be a little late and why, or if someone else will be collecting them instead.
Not every tantrum or meltdown means something is wrong.
Another important thing to remember is that tears and tantrums can often be attributed to other factors. They don’t always mean something is wrong. When a child is going through a developmental leap or growth spurt, hasn’t slept enough, or is hungry, these can all emerge as big emotions. So it’s important to talk with your Educators at Trio to understand: Is this new? Has something happened? More often than not, your child will be fine. Once you’re out of sight and they’re busy, your child will generally settle quite quickly.
Working with your child’s Educator at Trio Early Learning and being consistent in how you handle transitions will go a long way to helping your child regulate their emotions and handle separation.
