Is my Child Ready for Nursery? – Many parents of babies and toddlers have some anxiety about their child starting nursery which is perfectly natural. Your child is precious to you and having concerns about leaving them in someone else’s’ care for the first time is completely normal.
It’s a valid concern and one fear that many parents have, is sending their child to nursery before they are ready. The worry being that their child will suffer unnecessarily or even develop an attachment disorder.
Every child is different so there is no definitive answer to the question of when exactly a child should start going to nursery, but there are signs that you can look for which suggest they may be ready.
Is my Child Ready for Nursery?
Independence
Something to look for when considering whether or not your child is ready for nursery is how well they can handle things on their own.
If your child can cope with being left without you for a period of time and without any understanding of when you will return, this is a great sign. But it should be remembered that even children who become upset when you’re not available to them can still adjust to nursery. It might just take a little longer.
Self-Care
Another important thing to take note of; is your child able to manage basic self-care tasks with little to no assistance. For example, can they feed themselves reliably? Managing to use a fork and a spoon, finishing their food with little fuss? This is a great sign and because eating snacks and lunch is a part of nursery routine, it’s one less concern for you as a parent.
Language
This can vary enormously between nursery aged children. Some children can reliably hold quite complex conversations whilst others may still speak in very short sentences and struggle to make themselves understood. It’s important to express to your child’s nursery key worker if you have any concerns about their communication.
Your child’s key worker will then know that this is an area to focus on and they will help your child daily in their journey to becoming more articulate.
Social skills
How does your child interact with others their own age? What about adults? Will they be prepared for teamwork and sharing? How will they cope with a sometimes busy, loud atmosphere and also with turn-taking? Again, if you have any worries about your child’s social abilities, discuss them with your key worker.
Nursery is the ideal opportunity to help children grow in their social abilities and to develop more interpersonal skills. Visit some open days, take your child along with you and see how they react to the environment. Nurseries are designed to be appealing, happy places for children and most will adjust quickly to their new routine.
This nursery in St Margarets focuses on helping all children to become happy, confident individuals no matter what their personality or skills.
*Collaborative post