Have you ever had an embarrassing moment where your child (maybe quite loudly) asked you about some characteristic of another person? For example, “Mommy, why does that woman look like that?” The typical parental reaction is to attempt to quiet the child and move on as quickly as possible. As adults we’ve been taught not to ask such questions (at least not out loud). In contrast, children are not yet conditioned to refrain from sharing what they think or asking what they want to know.
Earlier on than most people realize, children become aware of and intrigued by the difference in the way people look and behave. In fact, Phyllis A. Katz, while a professor at the University of Colorado, found babies as young as six-months of age stared significantly longer at photographs of adults who were of a different color than their parents. The research evidence clearly indicates that children notice differences in race, ability, family composition and a multitude of other factors. Their questions are attempts to make sense of those observations so they can make sense of their own world.
As a parent, I know that children tend to ask the most challenging questions at the most inconvenient times. Rather than trying to quiet your child (which implies there is something wrong with the other person or with asking questions) take these opportunities to help your child understand and respect differences and similarities among those in your community. Provide brief, objective responses to their questions. For example, if your child comments about the difference in a person’s skin color tell her, “His skin color is white because his biological parents had white skin.” If your child asks you why a person is in a wheelchair tell him, “There is a medical reason why she is unable to walk by herself, so she uses the wheelchair to get from one place to another.”
By helping your child understand and respect similarities and differences you will also help your child to understand who he is in the context of your race, ethnic group, culture, religion, language and familial history. In so doing, you will provide your child with personally meaningful information and also introduce concepts from anthropology, history, religion, geography, etc.
Use these tips to spark your children’s curiosity about who they (and others) are in their world:

1. I love you/我愛你/Te quiero.Teaching your children words in the native language(s) of your family is a personal way to introduce them to different cultures, as well as family history. What better words to start with than, “I love you”. Moreover, since many classrooms are becoming increasingly diverse, consider teaching your child key phrases, such as “thank you” in a language represented in her classroom, which not only models respect for diversity but could allow her to forge new friendships. There are an abundance of apps that translate and speak words in different languages that can support this effort.

2. Celebrating others.Children’s books are wonderful resources for helping your child develop a sense of his or her own identity, as well as an understanding of those who are different in terms of race, family composition, religious beliefs and ability. Visit your library for books such as: It’s Okay to be Different (diversity); The Skin You Live In(acceptance); Same, Same But Different (culture and geography); Whoever You Are(diversity); Where Does God Live (religion); What is God (religion); Over the Moon (adoption); Don’t Call Me Special (disabilities); My Brother Sammy(autism); and The Family Book (different family configurations).

3. Exposure to other cultures brings personal meaning.While children’s books open children’s eyes to differences, actual experiences have the most profound influence on what children think and believe. Here are more hands-on activities you can try:

• Encourage cross-racial/ethnic/religious/ability friendships.
• Expose your children to foods from different cultures, like classic pork and cabbage dumplings or kimchi.
• Attend different events/festivals that celebrate a particular ethnic group, holiday or personal accomplishment, like the Special Olympics, the Chinese New Year or Holi, the Hindu festival of colors.
• Whether big or small, children’s or history museums house an abundance of artifacts from different cultures and countries. Since museums can be overwhelming for young children it helps to talk with your child about what you will see, what she wants to learn and then focus on that part of the museum (especially if the museum is large).
• Watch movies set in other cultures like My Neighbor Totoro, Kirikou and the Sorceress, and The Red Balloon.

4. The most powerful role model.While all of the activities listed above have been found to promote cultural awareness and respect, no activity is as powerful as the role model of a child’s parent(s). Children become culturally sensitive and respectful when they see adults who are culturally sensitive and respectful, and who take a stand against bias, racism or insensitivity. Lastly, it is important for adults to take a “strengths based” perspective when talking with children about those who are different from the child. This perspective focuses on the positive characteristics of a person and her abilities, what that person is able to do or does (as compared to what he cannot) and how differences make our world a better place.
By helping your child understand and respect similarities and differences, you will help him realize he is a wonderfully unique person among many other wonderfully unique people on this earth.
Proceeds from the sale of books purchased at Amazon.com help support PBS Parents. Thank you!

Author:
Christy Tirrell-Corbin, PhD is the Director of Early Childhood/Early Childhood Special Education at the University of Maryland where she teaches a course entitled, Culture and Community Perspectives: The Diverse World of the Child. Dr. Tirrell-Corbin’s research interests focus on family engagement, notably around teachers’ beliefs and practices around issues of race and culture. She also serves as a consultant for several educational organizations, including PBS Kids and National Geographic. Follow her on Twitter @TirrellCorbin.

​It’s preschool week here at NYT Parenting. When I started looking into preschools for my older daughter, a lot of terms were thrown at me as if I knew what they meant (which I certainly did not). We have explainers for some of these early-childhood education buzzwords — Montessori, Reggio, Waldorf and “forest school” — so you can be less ignorant than I was.
Another shock to the system when I began the preschool process: the astronomical cost. So we partnered with YouGov to survey American parents on how the cost of preschool and day care is affecting their lives. We polled more than 1,000 parents and found that 20 percent reported going into debt to pay for preschool and day care — a sobering but unsurprising result.

We will send our younger gal off to school for the first time in a few weeks, and I’m bracing myself for another common issue during school transitions — rough drop-offs. I remember leaving her older sister at preschool for the first time and feeling smugly confident about the fact that she didn’t cry when we left. I recall thinking to myself, Look how well we prepared her for this experience! What excellent parents we are!
Turns out, she didn’t cry because she thought preschool was a one-time thing. On day two, when she realized that this would be her reality for the foreseeable future, she started wailing as we said our goodbyes. I can still hear the echoing, “Don’t leave, Mommy!!!” in the depths of my soul.
My daughter’s preschool teachers were extra helpful in easing those tough moments: they outlined very clearly that drop-off happened in the cubby area, outside the classroom, and helped parents disentangle from their little clingers swiftly but kindly. Amanda Marsden, a kindergarten teacher in Cape Elizabeth, Me., said that she’s always given parents the advice to just leave quickly if their kids are crying, but now that she’s a parent too, she empathizes with how difficult that can be. “Watching your baby cry is so, so hard to just walk away from,” she said.
I called Amanda to get her professional advice about how best to support your kids through their first weeks of school if drop-offs are hairy. Here are her tips.

Check the school’s drop-off policy, if it’s possible to do so before school starts. That way you can talk to your kids about what to expect at drop-off and prepare them. “It’s important to go through the process with them, so it’s not a total shock when you’re like, ‘O.K., bye!’” Marsden said.

Make the separation quick. Many schools won’t let parents over the threshold of the classroom, and for good reason: any further in, and it can become more challenging to separate, Marsden said. While it’s certainly painful to walk away while your child is still sobbing, they’ll typically stop crying within a few minutes after you leave (cliché, but true, Marsden said). Your kid will get into the rhythm of his school day and forget about you. “The routinization is comforting,” Marsden said.

Remember that school brings a new set of emotional expectations. One thing Marsden said that really resonated with me was that, for some kids, school is the first time they are expected to be “on” during the day. The demands are much different at school than they are at home, and on some level, children are performing just as we do in the adult world. This can be emotionally draining for them just as it is for us, and understanding this may help you reframe their experience.

Offer them something reminiscent of home. If your child is still struggling to adjust after a week or so, talk to her teacher about different tactics that might calm her, Marsden said. Giving her an object that reminds her of home might help, whether that’s a family photo, a stuffed animal or a small blanket that she can take to a quiet space when she feels homesick. When my older daughter was having a rough time during the first months of kindergarten, I gave her a fuzzy key chain and told her whenever she missed me, to rub it and know that I was thinking about her.

Stay positive. It’s hard for any parent to walk away from a sobbing kid. But you have to pretend like it’s not. “If you’re showing that it’s really hard for you, kids are incredibly intuitive and emotionally in check with what you’re giving out,” Marsden said, and they will pick up on your upset. That doesn’t mean you can’t have a good cry yourself after you walk away from them, but keep that smile plastered on during the separation.

By Jessica Grose of the NY Times
Published Aug. 20, 2019
Updated Aug. 22, 2019
​https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/20/parenting/school-dropoffs.html

Let's face it, it's hard to override the coolness factor of prepackaged Dora the Explorer cheesy crackers and Sponge Bob's sliced packaged apples with caramel dipping sauce, but there are many ways to make healthy lunches "cool" at school. Here are four simple steps for making lunches fun and enjoyable for kids.

1. Get Kids Involved!
Allow children to help make their sandwich, package up leftovers, or put fruit and veggies in their lunchbox. Cutting the fruits/veggies into fun shapes is another great way to make preparing and eating meals fun and cool. If they help prepare their food, they will look forward to eating it later.

2. Provide lots of choices
Everyone likes to have a choice when it comes to meals and children feel extra special when parents trust them to make their own choices. Set out bowls containing various items in each food group. Allow children to pick one thing from each bowl/category. For example, there may be a veggie bowl that contains individual servings of sugar snap peas, cherry tomatoes and carrots. The child can pick any one of the three from that category or mix and match! Another option would be to create a "trail mix buffet bar" and allow children to select which items they would like to include in their own personal trail mix snack.

3. Make packaging fun, unique, and colorful!
Allow children to pick out their own cool lunch box and get creative with containers. Remember to keep serving sizes in mind when choosing containers.

4. Don’t give up!
It may take several tries for a kid to acquire a taste for new food that they may have not liked the first time around. Try different variations of packing the same thing, and find which way they like best, like dipping sauces for veggies or spreads on sandwiches.

Here are fun, funky and fresh ideas for making a child's snacks and lunches healthy at home and at school.

Walk on the wild side!
Be creative! It is easy to get into the habit of serving and eating the same dishes because you know kids liked it, but don’t hesitate to switch it up! Cucumbers in a smoothie adds a light, fresh taste, plus added nutrition. Spinach is also a very easy food to throw in smoothies, or cut up in tiny pieces to toss in tomato sauce or in a stir fry if you need to disguise the veggie. Shish Kabobs are also great fun for kids to poke the stick through some veggies of their choice. The possibilities are endless, go explore them!

Wishing you happy and healthy eating,
The Dr. Sears L.E.A.N. Team

Back to Easy & Entertaining Activities

Paper plate shakers:

• Paper plate
• Stapler
• Dry rice or beans

Fold a paper plate in half and staple the sides leaving the top open to pour in the rice or beans.  After you pour the rice or beans, staple the top of the plate and have fun with your shaker.

Toilet or paper towel roll shakers:

• Empty toilet or paper towel roll
• Tape
• Paper
• Scissors
• Dry rice or beans

Make two square shapes out of your paper and securely tape and cover one end to the cardboard roll.  Fill the roll with dry rice or beans and securely tape the other square shape to the other end.  Have fun with your shaker.

Empty water bottle shakers:

• Empty water bottle
• Hot glue gun
• Dry rice or beans

Fill and empty bottle with dry rice or beans and hot glue the cap on.  Have fun with your shaker.

Mix flour, salt, cream of tartar together in a pot.  Mix kool-aid to the water and oil and add to the pot.  Stir all ingredients on medium heat until it forms a ball like texture.  Take off heat and let it cool down for a couple of minutes and then knead until smooth.  Store playdough in a ziplock bag or air tight container.

Cyndi's Bubble Recipe:

• 1/2 cup of dishwashing liquid (Dawn or Joy)
• 2 cups of water
• 2 teaspoons of sugar

Resource provided by:  http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/9-ways-to-make-your-own-backya-86172

Liquid starch slime:

• Clear glue, glitter glue or white glue (Elmer’s washable works best but dollar store is ok too!)
• Liquid starch
• Water
• Measuring cup
• 2 bowls and a spoon
• Food coloring, confetti, glitter (optional)

In one bowl mix ½ cup water and ½ cup of glue (really mix to combine completely).  Now’s the time to add color, glitter or confetti!  In another bowl measure out ½ cup of liquid starch.  Slowly mix the glue/water mixture into the starch with a spoon, make sure to get all glue out of bowl.  Switch to mixing with hangs for a few minutes until you feel it come together.  Put in a clean, dry container or a plate.
Resource provided by:  http://littlebinsforlittlehands.com/liquid-starch-slime-easy-sensory-play-recipe/

Oobleck:

• 1 cup water
• 1.5-2 cups cornstarch
• A few drops of food coloring (optional)

Mix water and cornstarch together. Watch and feel as the oobleck becomes a liquid and solid.  
Resource provided by:  http://www.instructables.com/id/Oobleck/

Ornament and handprint clay (up to 12 small handprints):

• 4 cups flour
• 1 cup salt
• 1 ½ cup water

Combine ingredients and knead dough for 15 to 20 minutes. Roll dough out and cut around hand or cut circles out for making hand imprints. Use cookie cutters for ornaments or gift tags. If necessary, slightly dampen pieces to make them stick together.
Make a small hole for the hanger and prick to prevent air bubbles.
Bake at 300ºF about 20 to 25 minutes or until golden. You may have to bake considerably longer depending on how thick your items are. They may not feel hard right away but will harden as they cool.
Paint and decorate as desired. Acrylic paints work best and use a varnish to make them shiny.
Resource provided by:  http://www.food.com/recipe/ornament-and-handprint-clay-155960

Back to Easy & Entertaining Activities

How is a parent supposed to know what preschool is the best fit for their child who has only been alive for 2+years? With their interests changing from week-to-week; let alone their personality, it can be one of the most overwhelming school experience you will have to be faced with.  How can you trust a complete stranger to love, protect, understand and educate the most precious thing to you?   At least when choosing a college for your 18 year-old, you have an idea what they are interested in pursuing, understand their strengths and weaknesses, can research which college has the best program for them and for the most part they are independent.

If choosing a preschool was more like choosing a college, I would research preschools around the East Bay that have a thriving program in cars, trucks, boats, airplanes and dirt!  Instead of finding a preschool program that only focuses on vehicles every day of the week, I have to understand how to find the right Preschool Philosophy that would give my son a positive learning experience and would foster his love for learning.  Research now proves that the first 5 years of life is the most crucial for brain development/learning and by having a positive learning experience early on will continue to lead children down a path to become a lifelong learner. 

With so many preschools in the East Bay, where does one start? 

1. Considered what values are important to you and your partner: academics, play-base, parent participation, religion, etc
2. Observe your child’s personality and energy level.  Would they be successful in a structure environment?  Would they learn best through play?  Can they focus better in a busy or quiet environment? 
3. Ask your friends or other parents for recommendations. 
4. Think about the type of questions you would like to ask the preschool.
5. Understand the different types of Preschool Philosophies and choose one that matches you and your child’s educational values.

Now that you have your starting point in your preschool search, here is a “basic” overview of the most common Preschool Philosophies-these are basic overviews of philosophies, please continue to do further research on your own.  Some schools may also incorporate a few of these philosophies within their program: 

• Play-Based/Child-Directed:  Children will have the freedom to engage in activities that interest them within the different interest areas in the classroom.   In a play-based environment, children are learning social skills, turn taking, problem solving, etc while the teachers are taking advantage of teachable moments throughout the day. 
• Developmentally Appropriate:  Children are exposed to materials within their environment that are developmentally and age-appropriate.   Teachers expose children to developmentally appropriate materials/curriculum and has the understanding that every child learns at their own pace.
• Academic-Based:  Children are in a structure environment that is teacher-directed.  The curriculum is often focus in getting children ready for Kindergarten: early reading, writing, math, etc.
• Montessori:  Child-center educational approach within a mixed age-group environment that encourages peer learning, uninterrupted work-time and guided choice of work activity.  Teachers encourage children to initiate their own learning and the development of the whole child: physical, social, emotional and cognitive. 
• Reggio Emilia:  Children are seen as full potential learners who are competent and capable of building their own theories.  The children, parents and teachers are all involved in the curriculum/on-going projects that are based on the child’s interest.  Projects are documented daily using words, art, photographs, etc so that everyone can see the progression of the projects to give it meaning and identity to the children. 
• Project-Based:  Children learn in an interactive process where teachers are there to guide them through real-life experiences within their community/environment.   Children work together on a project for an extended period of time investigating and responding to questions, problems, or challenges that come up along the way.  Children also rely on their peer’s strengthens, weaknesses, interest, backgrounds and experiences in a hands-on learning environment. 
• Waldorf:  Children are seen as creative thinkers and doers.  They learn with a set-routine with predictable structure and usually have the same teacher for multiple years.  The environment is set-up to mimic a nurturing-home where it’s warm and friendly with natural materials.  You will not find any computers or electronic within these environments. 
• High/Scope:  Children are seen as active learners while the teachers are there to participate as partners in their learning.  Teachers emphasize on positive interaction strategies: sharing control with children, focusing on children’s strengths, forming authentic relationships, supporting children’s play ideas and adopting a problem-solving approach to social conflicts.   The heart of High/Scope approach is the “plan-do-review” sequence in which children have to express what their plan is before going to an activity then carrying out their plan and finally reviewing/summarizing what they did to their peers.
• Co-op: In a cooperative program, parent participation is crucial to their child’s learning and preschool experience.  There is usually one teacher who oversees the program, but the parents are the main ones helping out with varies duties throughout the day/school year.
• Religious:  Schools that are sponsored by a church or other religious organizations.  The curriculum and environment is influenced by their religion which can have a heavy or light influence in their daily activities.
• Language Immersion:  Children are immersed and exposed to use a different language throughout the program.  Some schools may be completely immersed in their language while other schools have set times within their daily schedule to immerse the children to learning a new language. 
• Community:  Are not-for-profit preschools. The majority of them are managed by the parents and community members.  The committee makes all major financial, employment, planning and policy making decisions.  Some community-based preschools can also be sponsored and managed by an organization, sometimes with advisory committees comprised of parents and community members. 

Overall, the best advice I can give any parent is to follow your instincts while touring different preschool programs.  There are so many great programs in the East Bay and most likely you will like certain aspects from each school you visit, but the number one thing is to realize that if you have a great feeling about a preschool program then your child will feel the same.  If you are hesitant about a program do not send your child there as your anxiety and emotions will heavily influence their preschool experience.  Also, don’t be afraid to try another preschool if the program doesn't work out for you or your child.  Children are way more resilient than we give them credit for.  Don't over think. They will be fine.

Remember that your child is only a child once so their preschool experience should be filled with positive influences and learning experiences.   

1. Is your school licensed and how long has it been around?

2. What is the program’s philosophy?

3. What is your child to teacher ratio?

4. What is the staff turnover rate and educational background of the teachers?

5. What is your discipline policy?

6. Does the school offer full day and half day options?  Review their school calendar to note holidays observed, teacher work days and other possible school closures.

7. What is included with the monthly tuition (lunch, music classes, language programs, computer classes, etc)?  What other cost are required when enrolling?  Annual fees? How often does their tuition increase and by what percentage?

8. How do the teachers communicate with the parents about the children’s day?  How does the school communicate to the parents?

9. Has there been any recent licensing violations that need to be disclosed to families interested in enrolling?

10. How do you help children transition into your program? 

Being Visually Aware During Your Preschool Tour

1. Does the outside of the school look well-cared for and maintained?

2. What does the school’s security look like?  Do you have to ring a bell to get into the school?  Is the school fenced off so that a child cannot wonder off the property?

3. What does the parking situation look like?  Image it during busy drop-off and pick-up times?

4. Do the teachers look happy to be there?  Are they at the child’s level interacting with them or standing around talking to other teachers?  What are the tones that the teachers are using with the children?

5. Do the children look happy and engaged with plenty of variety in the classrooms or on the playground?

6. Does the kitchen/food prep area look clean?  And does the person prepping the food wear gloves?

7. Check to see if their child to teacher ratio is what they advertised in their program while touring the classrooms.

8. Are the changing tables cleaned and sanitized after each use? Is the bathroom area maintained and have child size toilets/sinks or step stools?

9. Do you see any hazardous cleaning products or materials in arms reach of a child?

10. Most importantly, how do you feel when you walk in?  Go with your first instincts.  If you do not feel comfortable in the environment your child will feel the same.

Give yourself a "parenting check up" every once in a while. Ask yourself these questions:

• Am I present to enjoy the days I create?
• Will I be able to look back and say that I loved being a parent?
• When my kids are grown, will I have the joy of knowing that I was a part of the wonder and excitement of their childhood?

Look at your typical week. Make a "laundry list" of the things you do each day. See if you find tasks that you might:

• Simplify
• Eliminate
• Delegate

Can you simplify dinners with more crock pot recipes? Or eliminate cleaning the house every second by just "letting go" of a perfect house all the time? Have faith that you can find solutions that will find balance in your life. Don't put barriers around the possibilities and solutions that come to mind when you are looking to simplify, eliminate or delegate. Be flexible and aware that something might work beautifully one week but not so great the next week. Don't give up.

Reference: Doe, Mimi. Busy But Balanced. New York: St. Martin's Griffin, 2003.

Have you ever heard, “give a child a box and it will provide hours of endless fun”?  It’s true!  Open-ended projects give children the opportunity to use their imagination, creativity and keep them interested in an activity for an extended period of time.  What most parents do not realize is that your house is a toy boxes waiting to be explored by your child.  Why not promote learning and exploration with real objects found in your home environment?

There are so many wonderful items in your house that promotes learning and teachable moments.  The key is to be creative and have fun while exploring with your child.  If you are having fun so is your child.  I am a firm believer that the messier your child gets the more fun they have!  So put down your phone, turn on some music and have fun explorer your “toy box” with your child.

Disciplining your child can be hard at times, especially if you are caught in the moment and empty threats just come flying out of your mouth. Empty threats are one of the worst forms of discipline out there because they are fake threats to scare your child into doing something.  These threats are usually things that you have no intentions of ever following through with and only say them for the effect.  “If you don’t clean-up your toys I will throw them all away!”  “If you don’t listen this week, we are going to cancel your birthday party!”  The more you use empty threats to discipline the more you will lose control of the situation because your child will soon realize that you are not going to take anything away from them. 

From my experience working with children, the best advice I can give a parent is to take a deep breath and be in a calm state of mind before starting to discipline.  Remember that following through is what validates your request and earns your child’s respect.  If you are not willing to throw away all of your child’s toys don’t threaten them with it.  Instead you could say, “we are not going to be able to do anything fun today until your toys are put away.”  This encourages your child to look for a positive reason to clean-up their toys because they know something fun is coming their way. 

Another common empty threat that I often hear is the cancellation of a family trip or a party.  Are you really going to cancel your family trip or a birthday party that you have been planning for a few months and already put down a deposit for?  No!  Then don’t threaten your child with it.  Usually children act up when they are excited about an upcoming event like their birthday party or a family vacation. Acknowledge that you notice they are excited but that they still need to listen or they might get privileges taken away like:  not being able to open their birthday presents during their party or maybe sitting out on a few rides when you get to Disneyland. 

Give your child realistic consequences that you are willing to follow through on, even it if means cancelling your plans or rearranging the whole day.  Remember that following through is what validates your request and earns your child’s respect. The more you use empty threats to discipline the more you will lose control of the situation.  Also learn how to share control with your child.  Children who feel like they are in control of their own actions are more incline to do what you ask them to do.  This makes children feel empowered and confident that you trust them enough to make their own decisions.

Just for fun, here are some empty threats that I overheard parents telling their children through the years when I used to work in a preschool.  These left an impression on me because they made me do a double take and secretly asked myself if they really did just say that:

“Ms. Jamie knows Santa Claus so if you hit anyone at school today she will call Santa up and he won’t bring you any presents this Christmas.”

“If you don’t stop crying, you will have to stay in Ms. Jamie’s office....in the dark.”

“We are not going to Disneyland if you don’t listen to your teachers this week.”

“If you don’t leave now then I am going to leave you at school all night.”

Are there any empty threats that ever may you do a double take? Please share.

It takes every ounce of energy you got to walk away from your crying child and trusting that you made the right decision when you signed them up for preschool.  The first good-bye is always the hardest, but it does get easier.  Some children adjust right away in a preschool setting, while others may take up to a month. 

Here are some Do’s and Don’ts when it comes to saying good-bye.

Prior to the first day of school:

• See if your child’s preschool offers transitional visits prior to them starting school.  These are usually one or two short visits to get familiar with the environment and the teachers
• Get them excited about what they saw in their classroom during their visit.  Talk about the different types of activities that they can do when they go back
• Read books about going to school and let your child know that Mommy’s and Daddy’s will always come back to pick them up
• Pack a comfort item (blanket, small stuff animal, a family picture, etc) that will remind them of home if they are sad
• Plan extra time in the morning for your child’s first day so that you are not rushing out the front door

First day of school:

Do’s

• Be excited while getting ready for school.  Remind them of all the fun things they saw during their transitional visits
• While driving to school let them know when you will be back to pick them up.  Children 2 to 3 years old do not understand the concept of time, but they do understand the concept of routine.  Example, “after you wake up from naptime, I will be back to pick you up”
• Walk them to their classroom and help them find their cubby
• Walk around the classroom and try to engage them in an activity with a child or with a teacher
• Try to make your drop-off short.  The longer you stay the harder it is for you to leave
• Before you leave say good-bye to your child even if they are playing.  Let them know that you are leaving, but that you will be back after “xyz”
• Have your child’s teacher or director give you a call or send pictures to let you know how their morning went

Don’ts

• Do not sneak out of the classroom to avoid saying good-bye.  This will give your child more anxiety during the next drop-off because they will never know when you will be leaving them
• Try not to stay too long and interfere with the classroom’s daily routine
• Do not say good-bye to your child and then come back in the classroom to check on them

If you prolong your departure because your child is telling you not to leave while crying, they will soon realize that the longer they cry the longer you will stay.  Ask your child’s teacher for assistance and have them help you say your good-byes.  It is important to understand that when your child is crying during this time they are also building trust with their teacher.  Respect this bonding time because the faster they build their trust the faster they will adjust into the classroom.