Tears at the door are normal, and they usually stop within minutes. Here is what our educators actually see over a child's first fortnight.
Almost every parent asks the same question on day one: how long until my child stops crying at drop-off? The honest answer is that most children settle within five to ten minutes, and that the goodbye itself is harder on parents than on children.
Week one: learning the shape of the day
Children are not learning to like daycare in the first week — they are learning that the day has a shape. Snack follows circle time, outside play follows craft, and a parent always comes back after nap. Predictability is what makes a room feel safe, which is why our schedule barely moves from one day to the next.
We keep the first few days short where families can manage it. Two or three hours is enough for a child to see the full arc of a morning and be collected before they are tired.
Week two: finding a person and a place
By the second week most children have chosen a favourite educator and a favourite corner. That attachment does more for settling than any activity we could plan, so we keep the same educators with the same room rather than rotating staff.
Bring a comfort object if your child has one. A small blanket or soft toy that smells like home carries a child through the gap between drop-off and the first activity.
What helps at drop-off
Keep goodbyes short and certain. A long, hesitant departure tells a child there is something to worry about. Say that you are leaving, say when you will be back in terms they understand — after snack, after nap — and then go. We will call you if your child does not settle, and we will happily send a photo an hour later so you can see for yourself that they did.
