What the first two weeks actually look like
The KYZN teaching team
Every family arrives asking the same question in a slightly different way: how long before they are happy here.
Week one is about the room, not the people
For the first few days most children are busy rather than settled. They are working out where everything is, which is exhausting and looks a great deal like confidence.
We keep the morning short if that helps, and we keep the order of the day exactly the same, because the order is what a new child holds on to.
Week two is usually when it gets harder
The second week is when the novelty runs out and the crying often starts. Families who were told to expect a hard first day and an easy second week find this backwards, and it worries them.
A child who protests in week two has worked out that this is going to keep happening. That is progress, not a setback.
What helps
- Say goodbye once, clearly, and then leave.
- Give the teacher the handover, not the child.
- Ask for a photo at ten o'clock rather than waiting until pick-up.
By the third week almost every child has a routine they will defend. That is the thing to wait for.
