Childminder suggesting full immersion as best settling in strategy

[fanjobiscuits]

Is it OK/a good way of settling to leave your child for the full day straight away? I was expecting to be there with babybiscuits for a short visit or two first. Childminder seems great and babybiscuits likes them, we have visited briefly together a couple of times when interviewing. Other kids seem well settled and happy.

Depends on your baby. If under about 8-9 months then they will probably be fine, no separation anxiety or sense of time anyway. If 9-12 months and going through that clingy stage then I would want to do some settling in first.

I do short sessions, but don't encourage parents to stay. Parents staying means the child isn't settling in at all and upsets the other children.

I notmally suggest a couple of half days and then maybe a couple of full days if all has gone well.

Agree with younger children adapting much more quickly.

Thanks all. Baby is one. Makes sense re: not staying for settling.

With both of mine, at both childminders and nurseries, the settling in period has gone something like - 1 visit where we both stay for an hour, 2nd visit where I leave the baby for an hour or so and go to another room to have a coffee/fill in paperwork, 3rd visit where the baby stays for 2-3 hours and I go home, and then into full days.

Depends on child, sometimes it is much better for parent to just go, not just for child but for you also! There's nothing harder than trying to settle a child whose parent is popping head around the corner every few mins.
Perhaps suggest to CM one 3hr morning alone and then go to one full day. CM will understand you need this period too x

I moved back to the UK and started work when DD was 10 months. I had a potential settling in period of 4 days with the childminder due to her holiday and when I started work. I wanted her to have two full days when I was around, so two days when I could leave her for a short time.

The first day I called the childminder after a couple of hours and she said DD was enjoying herself so much they had gone out to the park. She went full time from that day.

We didn't really do any settling in. But i knew the CM well, not sure if that made a difference

As others have said it definitely depends on the child but also check your CM's settling in policy as each one is different.
I have parents come for a new visit once or twice with their child and then we agree a settling in period over how many days or weeks depending on how close the contracted start date is. I also have set times for settling in - 9.30-2.30.

DD's nursery did 1 hour sessions on 2 consecutive days. I stayed for the first one and not for the second. She went to full days the following week and was fine (at 13 months and doing 2 days a week)

DS did a token one hour then straight to full days at nursery but his big sister was there with him and he was completely unphased. But we only did it that waybecause he was so chilled.

I would be happier with a plan B lined up.

For children who have trouble settling, they do daily sessions to get them used to it but it's a short session every day, not all day every day until they stop crying! How many days a week will your DC be going?