Home Daycares Photos -Easing Parental Separation Anxiety

New technology has changed the way childcare providers update parents about their child’s day at daycare.  Many children come from families where both parents work long hours.  Parents are not in contact with their children for 9 or 10 hours a day and that leads to feelings of disconnect.  Smart phones, tablets and apps help parents stay connected even when they can’t be physically present.

Separation Anxiety is a very common behaviour we daycare providers witness in young children.  We use our training and years of experience to help ease the children’s anxiety and create a supporting environment for them.  It is common for children to display signs of distress when they are dropped off at daycare and then be giggling happily three minutes later with a peer once their parent is driving away.

The child goes on to enjoy their day, the caregiver goes on to enjoy the day, the parent however, can be left feeling horrible as they drive to work.  Daycare providers often struggle to help reassure parents that their child is happy and content.  Real time photo messaging has dramatically changed the situation. Providers can send parents photos within minutes so that the parent can see their child laughing and taking part in the activities.

Parents need to feel confidant that their child is happy at daycare so they can focus on their jobs.  Seeing their little angel playing in the sand box and making mud pies eases their worries.  The next day when they drop off their child, they will do it knowing that their child will be fine in a few minutes.  The photos they viewed the previous day helps them approach separation in a more confident way. When a parent’s unconscious body language and tone of voice exhibit calmness, that calmness transmits to the child.

A calm parent will help ease a child’s separation anxiety.  It is natural for a young child to stumble through the transition from home to daycare.  Children are closely bonded with their parents.  Children take their cues from the adult that cares for them.

An experienced caregiver will give an anxious child conscious and unconscious signs that they will be okay in a few minutes.  Most young children are guided almost completely by their feelings.  Reasoning through verbal conversation helps kids as well, however, the younger they are the more they react to an adult’s unconscious body language.

I use the Kinderloop app to send photos to my daycare parents.  I want parents to enjoy their day knowing their child is busy and happy.  A photo of a smiling face is worth more than a reassuring phone call.  Sometimes you need to see a visual picture to really be convinced that the crying child you left has now transformed into a gleeful little munchkin eating crackers and strawberries with their friends.

I like how easy Kinderloop is to use and share photos with my daycare parents.  As a home daycare provider, I love watching the children build towers and eat with pasta sauce ALL over their faces.  The only thing better than the joy I feel when the children do something cute, is being able to share that moment with someone who understands.  A child’s parent is the number one person who is the most delighted to see a photo of how cute their child looked with pasta sauce all over their face.

Thanks Kinderloop for making us all smile. 🙂