Separation anxiety is a common challenge that many parents face when their young ones embark on new adventures, such as starting school or attending daycare. The thought of leaving their child crying and distressed can be heart-wrenching for any parent. But fear not! We’ve got you covered with some easy-to-follow tips that will help ease separation anxiety and make the transition smoother for both you and your brave little hearts.
Build Trust through Familiarity:
The first step in easing separation anxiety is to establish a sense of familiarity and trust. Introduce your child to new environments gradually. Arrange playdates or visits to the new school or daycare before the official start. This will help your child become familiar with the surroundings, meet new faces, and realize that these places are safe and enjoyable.
Create a Consistent Routine:
Children thrive on predictability, and having a consistent routine can provide them with a sense of security. Set up a schedule that includes familiar activities such as storytime, playtime, and mealtime. When children know what to expect, they feel more comfortable and less anxious about the separation.
Practice Short Separations:
Practice makes perfect, and this applies to separation anxiety too! Begin by leaving your child with a trusted caregiver or family member for short periods. Start with just a few minutes and gradually increase the duration over time. This helps your child understand that you will always return and builds their confidence in coping with separations.
Use Transition Objects:
Transition objects can be magical tools for soothing separation anxiety. Encourage your child to bring a special item, such as a stuffed animal, a favorite blanket, or a family photo, when going to school or daycare. These objects provide comfort and remind your child of the love and support they have from their family, even when you’re physically apart.
Maintain a Positive Goodbye Ritual:
Goodbyes can be tough, but they can also be turned into a positive experience. Create a special goodbye ritual that is unique to your family. It could be a secret handshake, a special phrase, or a heartfelt hug. This ritual will give your child something to look forward to during the separation and help them associate goodbyes with positive emotions.
Stay Calm and Confident:
Children are perceptive beings, and they can easily pick up on their parents’ emotions. Stay calm, positive, and confident during drop-offs. Your child will feel more secure if they see that you trust the environment and the people you’re leaving them with. Remember, you’ve got this, and so do they!
Communication is Key:
Even though your child may be young, it’s essential to keep the lines of communication open. Talk to your child about their day, ask about their feelings, and encourage them to express any worries or concerns. By validating their emotions and offering reassurance, you show them that their feelings are acknowledged and that you’re always there to listen.
The Bottom Line:
Separation anxiety can be a challenging phase for both parents and children. However, with a little bit of preparation, patience, and understanding, you can help your brave little hearts overcome their fears and embrace new experiences with confidence. Remember, every child is unique, so find what works best for your family and adapt these tips accordingly. With your love and support, your child will grow into a resilient individual ready to take on the world, one step at a time.
If you’re in the market for a new daycare but feel overwhelmed on where to start, here’s a quick guide for researching new daycare options.
Know the Types of Childcare
First things first, educate yourself on the types of childcare. These include:
Daycare or child care center
In-home childcare
Head Start and Early Head Start
Prekindergarten programs
School-age programs, such as the YMCA
Military families child care options
Informal home childcare, such as from a family or friend
While daycare is the most accessible and affordable childcare option, it may be worth looking into other choices to best fit the needs of your family.
For instance, some children may do better in a smaller class size such as in-home childcare while others may enjoy larger groups at a daycare. At the same time, children who desire fewer playmates may benefit from exposure to larger groups so the transition to kindergarten isn’t overwhelming.
Know Ohio’s Childcare Resources
Each state has different requirements for childcare. These differences may be things like teacher-to-child ratios or sanitation standards.
Knowing Ohio’s standards will help you evaluate whether the daycare you’re considering is quality. For instance, a daycare may have passed the state’s standards to be licensed but has relaxed its everyday standards after licensure. These daycares should be avoided as it puts your child in a potentially harmful or dangerous environment.
To find out Ohio’s resources and licensure standards, clickhere.
Find Daycares in Your Area
One of the hardest parts of researching daycares is finding all the childcare options available in your area. Sometimes the search bar or map app isn’t sufficient in finding the childcare gems.
Ohio.gov makes it easy to find local daycares with their search bar. You can search by city, zip code, program type, hours of operation, other services provided, and accreditation.
Once you have a list of daycares in your area, you can start to delve more deeply into choosing a quality daycare that best fits the needs of your family.
Penguin Crossing Academy is proud to offer an outstanding curriculum that is educational, fun, and prepares your child for kindergarten per state educational standards.
Let’s face it: not all daycares are the same. Some daycares only meet the bare minimum state standards, while others go above and beyond to provide the safest, cleanest, most educational space possible.
Every parent wants their child enrolled in a high-quality daycare. But what are the defining characteristics of quality childcare? Here are three ways:
Stimulating Schedule and Environment
Childcare is more than making sure children stay out of trouble, eat their veggies, and get a nap on time. The daycare’s environment is what will shape your child’s understanding of the world, their creativity, and their drive to learn.
Some daycares may skimp on creating a learning schedule and sticking to it. But at Penguin Crossing Academy, we use the Creative Curriculum by Teaching Strategies for our classes to ensure children’s development is stimulated by age-appropriate gross and fine motor tasks, music, and early childhood education.
Even babies and toddlers have a routine! These young children grow exponentially when exposed to music, books, and simple arts and crafts.
Safe and Sanitary Space
A facility that cares for dozens of children can get messy very quickly. It’s imperative that the staff employ proper sanitation practices to reduce the spread of germs and prevent accidents from happening.
The daycare space should also be a safe one: toys should be age-appropriate, first aid kits should be available, cleaning supplies should be locked away from a child’s reach, shelves should be anchored to the wall, and more.
Licensed Business and Staff
Daycares must be licensed by the state of Ohio in order to operate legally. These licenses must be renewed annually. Check to ensure your daycare has a valid business license. You can also view if your daycare ever had a lapsed or revoked license.
Daycares are required by law to only employ staff who have undergone a background check and maintain certain health qualifications, like a negative TB test.
What sets quality daycares above average daycares is when staff continues to grow in their childcare skills. Seminars, conferences, or in-house training are great ways to maintain a high standard of childcare.
At Penguin Crossing Academy, we check all the boxes for quality childcare! Our curriculum and schedule are exciting for all ages, we maintain a safe and sanitary space, and our business is licensed and our staff continues to grow in their field. If you’re looking for quality childcare in the Delaware area, check out Penguin Crossing Academy!
Penguin Crossing Academy is proud to offer an outstanding curriculum that is educational, fun, and prepares your child for kindergarten per state educational standards.
Whether you are looking to move to Lewis Center or a current resident with new childcare needs, you’ll find that Lewis Center is one of the best places in Ohio for families with childcare needs!
Here are a few reasons you’ll love Delaware for childcare and want to enroll your child in a daycare like Penguin Crossing Academy.
Schools
Every parent wants their child to attend a school that gives them an exceptional education so they can have a successful future. Delaware has many fantastic schools that will give your child a quality education. Some of these schools include:
Ervin Carlisle Elementary
James A. Conger Elementary
Robert F. Schultz Elementary
David Smith Elementary
Laura Woodward Elementary
These schools are just a short distance away from Penguin Crossing Academy, so you don’t have to worry about a long bus commute from your child’s school to after-school care.
Safety
As a parent, you want to feel comfortable leaving your child in the care of other adults. All Penguin Crossing Academy staff members undergo thorough background checks so you can feel confident enrolling your child in our childcare program.
Parks and Recreation
Another top reason for choosing Delaware is the local parks and recreation. There are many wonderful attractions near Lewis Center, and Penguin Crossing Academy plans field trips to several of these locations:
Delaware County District Library
Alum Creek State Park Beach
Delaware County Fairgrounds
Olentangy Caverns
Relationships
At Penguin Crossing Academy, we go above and beyond to care for our families and the children enrolled in our childcare. Our teachers take a genuine interest in each child and love to watch them grow and learn.
At Penguin Crossing Academy, we strongly emphasize the trust and relationship between teacher and parent. Our staff is ready to answer any questions or concerns you might have, and we can discuss any necessary accommodations for your child. Please contact us today to speak with our director!
Penguin Crossing Academy is proud to offer an outstanding curriculum that is educational, fun, and prepares your child for kindergarten per state educational standards.
There are many daycares in the Delaware, Ohio, area. How do you figure out which is best for you and your child?
One important factor to consider is a daycare’s county. Certain counties have more funding, schools, or higher safety ratings than others. Here are some reasons why Delaware is one of the best areas in Ohio to enroll your child in daycare.
Schools
Even if your child is an infant, you need to be looking to the future and where your child will attend school. It’s best if you enroll your child in a daycare that is in their school district to save time in your commute.
Delaware has a number of wonderful schools, such as:
Ervin Carlisle Elementary
James A. Conger Elementary
Robert F. Schultz Elementary
David Smith Elementary
Laura Woodward Elementary
These quality schools are sure to give your child the early education they need to be successful and happy throughout their life.
Easy Accessibility
A daycare may check all your boxes, but it might be a longer commute or hard to access. Lewis Center is a fast-growing city and is always becoming more accessible. Whether you have a car or use public transportation, there are many easy ways to travel around Lewis Center. That means it’s easy to find Penguin Crossing Academy!
Penguin Crossing Academy is proud to offer an outstanding curriculum that is educational, fun, and prepares your child for kindergarten per state educational standards.
Every parent wants their child to grow up to be happy and successful. While there have been many successful adults who came from humble beginnings, there is also significant evidence that points to success stemming from education and positive relationships in early childhood.
At Penguin Crossing Academy, we come alongside you in raising your child to live a happy, successful life! Here are some top reasons Lewis center is one of the best places to attend daycare.
Safety
Every parent wants to know their child is safe. You can rest assured that your child’s teachers provide the best care. All Penguin Crossing Academy staff members undergo thorough background checks, and we place a high priority on experienced teachers for older age groups.
Penguin Crossing Academy meets the state requirements for child-to-teacher ratios and classroom sizes. This prevents teachers from managing too many children, which improves safety and promotes positive relationships between children and teachers.
Additionally, all our staff members have multiple scheduled breaks during their shifts so they can be refreshed and ready to play, teach, and guide children throughout the day.
Accessibility
When you have a tight schedule, you want childcare that is easy to access. Traffic lights, backroads, school buses, and more, can be the difference between being on time for work or school and suffering the consequences of being late.
There are dozens of daycares in the Delaware area, but some of them are not as accessible as Penguin Crossing Academy. We are easily accessible from several routes:
Home Road
Corduroy Road
Gooding Blvd
Our location makes your morning commute and evening pick-up a breeze!
Convenience
Taking extra trips to multiple stores can be a waste of time. Some daycares in the Lewis Center area don’t offer the same convenience as Penguin Crossing Academy. Our location is right next to:
Grocery stores such as Kroger and Aldi
Shopping centers such as NorthPointe Plaza
Fast food restaurants such as Starbucks, Panera Bread, and Chipotle
Penguin Crossing Academy’s location saves you time, gas, and money by being close to other stores and restaurants.
Penguin Crossing Academy is proud to offer an outstanding curriculum that is educational, fun, and prepares your child for kindergarten per state educational standards.
