When we decide to send our children to nursery school, doubts and worries often arise, especially during the first few days.
Will they settle in well? Will the staff understand what they need? Will they meet other children and make friends quickly?
In addition, sometimes children start doing things they didn’t do before and display different behaviours… this whole process, until the child feels safe and confident in their nursery, is what we call the “Adaptation Period.”
Starting nursery school represents a very important change in a child’s life. It means leaving their familiar world, where they have a defined role and move within a safe, known, and protected environment, and it also involves changes in their relationships.
There are many factors to consider, as well as the attitudes of adults, which can help promote a successful adaptation. It is important not to set strict timeframes, as each child experiences this process in their own way.
In the classroom, a child may cry, become upset, or even reject their teacher.
At home, they might show behaviours such as refusing to eat, experiencing night terrors, or not wanting to be apart from their parents even for a moment.
We should view these behaviours as temporary and completely normal during this period.
The best thing we can do as parents to help this process is to stay calm and appear confident, as the child will look to our emotions to reinforce their own.
During the first days of attending nursery, and especially throughout the first term, the child particularly needs understanding and support. We should help them along the way to gain confidence and build relationships with others. Gradually, they will adapt to the rhythms and routines of the nursery.
On behalf of the La Mar Salada Nursery School and its teachering staff:
- Allowing the child their own space, giving them the freedom to approach or distance themselves from the teacher as needed.
- Allowing a flexible schedule.
- Providing guidance to families, recognising that this is also a difficult time for parents.
- Allowing the first days to be for observation, providing more time for free play and initial social interactions with other children.
But how do we, as adults, help the child through this moment? What does the child need from us?
Some recommendations:
- When we leave the child at nursery, always say a brief goodbye, avoiding drawn-out farewells. This helps the child understand that we are saying goodbye for a little while and that we will come back to collect them.
- Allow the child to bring a familiar object during the first few days: a teddy, a blanket, or a favourite toy.
- Try to delay major changes in the child’s life (such as giving up the dummy or nappies, moving from the cot to a bed, or changing rooms) until a later time.
- Communicate to the center everything that concerns us. Communication Family – School must always be very fluid, but especially in this period where the foundations of the relationship are being laid and where any doubt that can be clarified contributes to successfully overcoming the process.
- The adults who surround the child have an important role in facilitating access to the new. The security of the parents regarding the decision made and the trust in the chosen center are fundamental factors to transmit to the child…
So separation/adaptation go together for both the child and the parents. The key to success is to be respectful of everyone’s time, facing the experience with calm and confidence.
The entire educational team of the Mar Salada, we put all our love and professionalism so that we, adults and children, live this period in a calm way, attending to the children individually, respecting their rhythms, and making the School a space for them. where to learn, share, make friends, enjoy…
The key to an adaptation without conflict is to face this challenge with confidence, calm and respect.
