[*mylittleprince*]

Hi there

My son will be attending junior kindy 2 days a week next year. He will be 3 years and 4 months when he starts. Hours are 7:30am to 6pm but we'll probably send him 9am - 5pm (maximum hours), might be less.

He attended daycare two days a week from 15 months for a year and then had a year off.

All our family live overseas so he's not used to being cared for by others except when our family come to visit. One friend has watched him about 3 times and another friend once. He is a bit shy but loves playing with other kids, quite headstrong and plays very well alone and with others.

We have newborn twins who will be 3 months when he starts. The junior kindy is part of our church and he goes to the room on Sundays so he is familiar with the grounds and premises.

How would you go about settling him in? I was thinking of half day (9 - 12am) for the first day then 9 - 2pm the second day and then full day from the second week. Obviously I'll speak to the teacher's and see how he is going and if he was upset and they couldn't settle him, I would go in and get him.

I will have to take the babies with me but I'm sure that is fine.

[casime]

Our daycare allows parents to spend as much time there as they want to to get their child settled in. Could you spend a few mornings at the centre with him if your centre allows it until he seems comfortable?

[SugarMumma]

Our daycare has an open door policy too.

My 4 and 3 yo just started daycare 2 days a week. about 9-3 any longer than that and they are so tired when they get home I can't keep them awake till dinner lol.

I didn't do the settling in in stages, they were so keen to play/paint/draw and play with the other kids that they basically left me standing at the door with out so much as a good bye cuddle and I was happy to let them do their thing.

Is your little one keen? He might be happy to just jump right in. I would have still given them a full day and address any issues that came up, if they needed to be introduced more slowly etc after the first day. As it was there was no dramas at all for us. I hope it all goes well

[seepi]

I would do it differently - spend half an hour there the first day, then leave him for an hour or so.

then leave him for 2 hours the next.

the leave him the whole day.

But if you stay there with him he will think you will always do that, and might get upset when you leave.

[*mylittleprince*]

Sorry I meant to add I will stay with him until he's settled and listen to the advice of the carers. We have newborn twins plus my mom would've just left after 3 months of being here (all our family live overseas) so he will have a lot going on.