transition to day care center`

[Steph_b]

Currently my 4 month old daughter stays with my sister in law while I work.  She has been there since she was 8 weeks (part time) started there ful time around 14 weeks.  We are moving and need to switch her to a day care center.  Does anyone have aany advice to get her (and me) ready for this change?

Thanks!

[Limonada]

I'll be honest:  at the age your daughter is, it's likely going to be harder on YOU than it will be on her!  "Luckily", she hasn't gotten to the age where she's aware to the point that she's going to make strange or panic when she doesn't see you.  

I recommend visiting with her at the centre or dropping her off for shorter periods of time than she'll actually be there when she's in "for real" to assist with the transition.

Good luck...it's not easy - I have a 4 year old who's been in daycare since he was a year old and a 10 month old who will be starting in another month and a bit when I go back to work.

[adgal]

I am getting my 10 month old ready for daycare and asked the same question.  I got some really good advice on what to look for in a provider, and the biggest piece of advice I got about the actual transition was to try to make it a slow one.  Go with them for the first few days a couple of hours at a time. Seemed like a good idea to me, so going to give it a shot. Good luck to you.