Settling in at daycare and school — How to support your child on the first day

1. What your child feels while settling in

Starting daycare or school means being apart from the people they're attached to, meeting new adults and getting used to different rules and schedules. In the first few weeks, it's normal to see tears at goodbye, changes in sleep or appetite, and more wanting to be held at home.

Every child has their own pace. Settling in isn't measured by whether they cry, but by how their confidence grows day by day.

2. Cleo and Cuquin: support that comes from experience

In the Cleo & Cuquin family, the experience of Cleo, the big sister, lives side by side with the curiosity of Cuquin, who is discovering everything for the first time. This mix offers two useful tools:

• An older brother or sister as a guide: if there are older siblings, they can share what their first day was like and what they like most about school.
• New things as an adventure: present daycare or school as a place to discover, just as Cuquin explores his world.
• "I've got an idea!" at goodbye time: come up with your own goodbye ritual together (a gesture, a phrase or a special hug).

3. A practical guide to the first few weeks

• Prepare ahead: visit the center, meet the teacher and read stories about starting school before the first day.
• Short, clear goodbyes: always say goodbye (don't sneak away) and don't drag the moment out.
• A comfort object: a stuffed animal or a family photo in their backpack, if the center allows it.
• Gradually longer days: use the center's settling-in period to increase the time little by little.
• Listen afterward: ask with curiosity and without pressure ("What did you play with today?") and set aside some quiet time when you get home.