A child’s day should be filled with connections:
•When they wake up from sleeping all night
•When they enter their classroom
•When they get picked up from school
•When they go to sleep for the night
After spending time away from a significant adult, children need to reconnect. This includes connecting daily with teachers as well as parents. Transitions can be hard for young children. They live in the moment and aren’t fans of stopping to shift gears. Taking time to connect encourages children to reset and settle calmly. It helps them feel safe as they move into a different part of their day.
Connecting should include a kind touch while making eye contact at eye level, smiling, and sharing a few words.
It is also just as important to unplug and help your child reconnect with their teacher or babysitter.
When you separate for an extended period of time, what you say right before the separation plays like a tape recorder over and over in your child’s mind, so pay extra attention during those transitions. Try not to be on your phone or talking over your child’s head. Connections builds trust, so choose your words and actions wisely. You have lots of opportunities to build trust every time you unplug or reconnect, so take advantage of them!