Let your son or daughter know that you are leaving and when you'll be back. It's also a good idea to allow a little extra time to spend a few minutes in the classroom with the child during the first week. Both parents and children feel better about the transition when it's gradual. Generally, young children will become more confident in their new environment and settle into a routine as time passes, but Diamond cautions that there could be relapses into anxiety over the parent leaving. When that happens, it's just like when an adult has a bad day.
Children go through phases, too.
When your child is having a bad day, a follow-up call to the preschool can be reassuring. You'll probably find out that your child stopped crying the minute you pulled away. And Diamond says that just because the transition was difficult with one child, it doesn't mean parents will have the same difficulties with a younger sibling. Both parents and youngsters need time to adapt, establish a routine, and adjust to this new and exciting experience. Children at a Purdue University preschool in West Lafayette are introduced to the computer.