TRANSITIONS

National Network for Child Care's Connections Newsletter

Sandy Davin / Rosemarie Vardell, M.S.
Director / Project Director
After School Child Care Program / Child Development Program
Urbana School District / Gilford County

Copyright/Access Information


All day care children make transitions during the day. School-age children make many transitions. Some go from home to a before-school program, from the before-school program to school, from school to an after-school program and then home again. As adults, we may not realize what it is like to make that many changes. But imagine this... You go to work in one office and begin your day's work. At 10:00 a.m. you gather up all your materials and go to a different office and work with a different group of people. At 4:00 p.m. you once again gather up all your materials and go to another office and work there with yet another group of workers. This sounds difficult to us as adults. Therefore, it should be no surprise that children often need help making these transitions. Child care providers can make these transitions easier by using good communication and observation skills.

HOME TO BEFORE-SCHOOL PROGRAM

Mornings at home can be rushed. Because of this, a before-school program needs to provide an easy-going, flexible atmosphere. Greet children individually. Help them slow down the pace if they seem anxious or rushed. Take a few minutes to check with parents to see if there is anything special that you or your staff should know about the day. If staff know that the child did not sleep well or has a music lesson, they will be better able to help children make smooth transitions. This is not a good time to discuss problems with parents! Delay this until later when parents are not in a hurry.

Mornings should be relaxed. Offer child-initiated activities along with one planned activity. For the planned activity, offer children a choice among several activities. Choose an activity that can either be finished before school or be carried over to the after-school program. This will prevent children from feeling pressured to complete the activity before school.

BEFORE-SCHOOL PROGRAM TO SCHOOL

Give children ample warning that they will soon need to leave for school. Some children may need help getting their things together. Have children who take longer to get ready start sooner. Let the children know what activities and snacks will be offered in the afternoon when they return from school. This gives them something to look forward to. It also provides some predictability to their day.

SCHOOL TO AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM

Staff need to greet children and help them get into a leisure mode. This can be done by offering a variety of "unwind" options like active outdoor activities, quiet activities, and time to talk with friends. A variety of activities are needed since every individual makes the work-to-leisure transition differently. In this relaxed and informal atmosphere, staff can talk with children about their school time. Younger children often need to be asked specific questions such as, "What did you have for lunch?" "Did you get to go to the library?" or "Did you get to play outside or was it raining?" By listening carefully, staff can pick up on responses and expand the children's language. Staff can also watch for specific interests that can be pursued later. For older children, questions like, "Did you have a good day?" ... "Bad day?" are sometimes enough to help them start talking. This is a good time to follow up on past concerns or interests that staff are already aware of. For example, if a child has previously talked about a problem with a classmate, the staff person can ask, "How are things going with you and Jonah?" Talking about experiences from other parts of the day helps children to integrate what is going on in all aspects of their lives.

AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM TO HOME

Time activities so children will be done before parents arrive. Also allow enough time for children to gather their things together. If parents have time, encourage them to sit for a minute and observe or participate. Staff can also direct a parent's attention to a new game or tell them about an activity while the child is getting ready to leave. Knowing about their child's day will help parents have things to talk about on the way home. Staff can also encourage children to talk to their parents. If staff members know that a child was particularly interested in something he or she did at school, they can help the child initiate a conversation with the parents. This is also a good time to give parents regular, positive feedback about their children. This promotes the child's self-esteem. It will also encourage them to listen on the few occasions when problems need to be discussed. As the parent and child leave, check the child's cubby hole or hook to be sure he or she hasn't forgotten anything. Also remind parents about upcoming special events.

Staff play an important role in helping children through transitions. Communication, observation, and a genuine interest for the children are the keys to helping children integrate their daily experiences before, during, and after school.