Your child’s happiness is very important and while you can easily tell if they are not happy, there is one area where it may be more difficult – at their daycare centre. For many families in Sydney, a daycare centre is where a child spends most of their time away from families. For this reason, a daycare centre is where much of a child’s development and happiness is derived. While it’s easy to spot if your child isn’t developing well as educators will notify you of it, spotting your child’s happiness or lack thereof is a little bit more difficult.
Why is it difficult to figure out if your child is happy at daycare?
One of the main reasons why it’s difficult to determine is that many of the signs are latent and require you to really pay attention to your child to figure them out. Every child is different. Some may be very frank and vocal about their dislike for the centre while others will indicate it through other signs. It’s difficult to tell which your child will do, which is why it is important that you know what some of the telltale signs are.
Aren’t all children unhappy about going to daycare?
No, and you should not mistake your child’s unhappiness for normal behaviour. While children do have issues separating from their parents, many times, they overcome this. If you notice that your child is unhappy, don’t ignore it. Talk to your child to find out where their unhappiness is stemming from and talk to their educator if need be.
4 signs that your child is happy at their daycare centre
- Your child is excited about attending the daycare centre
Any child who is excited about attending daycare is happy at their centre. It indicates that they are having positive experiences at the centre and view it as an enjoyable space. With this sign, you’ll also notice that getting through your morning routine is easy and drop-offs are not as emotional.
If your child is throwing a tantrum during their first few times attending daycare, this is not necessarily a sign that they are unhappy, but rather that they are experiencing some form of separation anxiety.
- Eager to leave you and satisfied to stay
Drop-offs are usually nightmare experiences for many parents and while this is expected with the first few times of a child attending daycare, if it carries on for weeks, it may indicate that your child is unhappy.On the opposite side of this, with children who are glad to leave you at drop-off or stay longer at the centre during a pick-up, it is clear that they feel comfortable with their surroundings and happy at their centre. It indicates contentment with both the educators and your child’s environment.
- Your child happily reflects on their day
It’s good practice to encourage your child to discuss their day. You don’t only get to find out what happens at the centre, from your child’s perspective, but you can also gauge their happiness. If your child is glad to talk about their day and excitedly tells you (even without prompts) about their activities, then you can be sure that they are enjoying their time there. - Your child forms an attachment to one of the carers
A major component of a daycare centre is the carers. Carers are who your child will learn and develop from. It’s natural and healthy for your child to form an attachment to a carer. In fact, it indicates that your child trusts the carer and has formed a healthy emotional attachment to them.
Daycare centres play an important role in the happiness of your child. It’s important for your child's social and emotional development that you ensure that they are happy and well-adjusted at their daycare. We hope that these signs help you to determine how your child perceives daycare.
