Daycare transition
My daughter is 13 months old and has been home with me her whole life. Experience with peers her age has been limited to library story times once a week and the occasional visit to an indoor playground, and she just doesn’t seem to like other children. We are in the thick of the separation anxiety phase and I am going back to work soon. She is a very particular sleeper and has a pretty set routine that she does well with most of the time. I am so worried about the daycare transition.
At home, she sleeps in her crib with a paci and sleep sack with white noise and a night light. She won’t sleep in the car, in bed with me, at anyone else’s house, etc. She very much has to be put to sleep with this routine or she just won’t sleep and turns into an angry, overtired gremlin. I have tried to just keep her up until she falls asleep herself but she’s not that kind of kid.
At daycare, pacis are not allowed. The kids sleep on mats with blankets all in the same room, I’m unsure of the light situation. I just cannot see my daughter actually sleeping at all in this situation and I’m so worried. I don’t want the only couple of hours we get together after work consumed by her being overtired and upset. I haven’t even started yet and I already get teary eyes thinking about how much time with her I’ll be losing.
I have the option of doing a week of half days to help her adjust, but the daycare provider said she believes consistency is better and recommends just starting with full days. Would you try dropping kiddo off around 8 the first week and picking up before nap time (12pm) to nap at home? Maybe pick up after nap time to give her the opportunity to nap there but come home if she gets overwhelmed? Help 😭