Although your child might not be keen on you dropping him or her off for the first day of daycare, ideally the environment will be so fun that the child is eager to attend on the second and third days and beyond. Daycare-aged children won't likely tell you much about their experience; the fact that the child is eager to be dropped off each day is enough to suggest that the child is enjoying the daycare providers, the other children, and the environment. It's always a good idea, however, to check in with the daycare provider at the end of the child's first week. Here are some things to ask about.

Cooperation with Other Children

Make sure that you ask how your child is doing in regards to cooperating with the other children at the daycare. If you have two children, the child who is attending daycare might be used to cooperating at home. However, if the child is currently an only child, it can be an adjustment to play well with other children. Ask the daycare provider to give you some examples about how well your child has fit in, and don't be afraid to find out if there are areas surrounding cooperation that you'll need to work on at home, too.

Comfort with the Concepts Being Taught

Daycare providers will typically include an educational component, whether it's coloring, putting toy blocks together, or even working on learning the letters and the numbers. Even though it's early in your child's daycare education, it's never too soon to start making sure that he or she is comfortable with the concepts that are being taught. For example, if the daycare provider says that your child is behind other children in terms of learning the numbers from one to 10, this is something you can practice at home.

Things You Can Do Better

It's also important for you to take an active role in your child's daycare experience. Ask the provider if there are things that you can do better. For example, should you send your child with a change of clothes because he or she commonly spills food or drinks during lunch? Or, do you need to change the type of lunch you send because your child has trouble eating it within the allotted time for lunch? Your daycare provider can help you with any gentle suggestions so that you can make your child's daycare experience easier — and easier on the provider, too.

For more information and tips, talk to a child care provider like Little Peoples Early Learning Center.

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