{"id":23229,"date":"2024-09-11T09:19:47","date_gmt":"2024-09-11T08:19:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/?p=23229"},"modified":"2024-09-11T09:19:47","modified_gmt":"2024-09-11T08:19:47","slug":"belfast-childcare-expert-kelly-molloy-shares-practical-tips-for-parents-on-navigating-nursery-transition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/2024\/09\/belfast-childcare-expert-kelly-molloy-shares-practical-tips-for-parents-on-navigating-nursery-transition\/","title":{"rendered":"Belfast Childcare Expert Kelly Molloy Shares Practical Tips for Parents on Navigating Nursery Transition"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

September is a key month in any parents\u2019 calendars, with the start of the academic year meaning a whole new experience for three and four year olds: nursery.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Starting nursery school or creche is a huge milestone for any child and whilst exciting, it can be a very daunting time for both children and parents alike.<\/span><\/p>\n

North Belfast childcare expert and owner of Wee Chicks CIC, Kelly Molloy, is armed with almost two decades\u2019 worth of experience caring for kids and has shared some of her top tips on aiding the process.<\/span><\/p>\n

Well-versed in overcoming the struggles associated with sending your little ones off on their own for the first time, Kelly has outlined the best way to ease the transition and set the stage for a positive start.<\/span><\/p>\n

Calling on her years of experience owning Wee Chicks, Kelly states that maintaining a positive attitude will help your child settle and enjoy the start of their journey with education.<\/span><\/p>\n

Kelly explained: \u201cA child can read your energy – so if you feel calm and prepared, they will too.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s Kelly\u2019s top tips to help your little one love their new school:<\/b><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Pay a visit<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    \u201cWorking out your little ones\u2019 schedule means your mind will be put at ease and you will be prepared to guide them through their day\u201d explained Kelly.<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u201cTake a look at the facilities, check out the environment and put yourself in their shoes, noting anything that your child might be interested in to mention to them on days when they feel overwhelmed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u201cDon\u2019t be scared to ask lots of questions and always trust your instincts.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

      \n
    1. It\u2019s good to talk<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Kelly said: \u201cCommunicate with your child about what will happen. This is a big change that needs to be normalised, even after the switch over has occurred.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

      \u201cBring nursery life into everyday conversation and try to remove any fears your child raises with you, including updating them on how you\u2019ll be spending the day too.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

      \u201cMake sure they know what they will be doing each day and what you will be doing while they are there \u2013 even if it is just cleaning the house.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Stay positive<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        \u201cYour attitude towards nursery school will influence your child\u2019s feelings\u201d said Kelly, adding: \u201cThe majority of the time, it’s the parents who are feeling nervous about the shift, so it\u2019s important to reassure your child that this is going to be a fun, new experience.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        \u201cTell them it’s going to be very exciting. Explain that they are going to meet new friends, and they’re going to be able to play with great new toys.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

          \n
        1. Establish a routine<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          Start adjusting your child\u2019s daily routine to match the schedule they will follow at nursery school.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

          Kelly explained: \u201cThis means they will know what is happening and it should reduce anxiety. So, have a good bedtime routine, make sure your child knows what to do in the morning and stick to this trend.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

          \u201cIf they know what is about to happen, it will reassure them. It will also help them understand that you will come back at the end of the day.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

            \n
          1. Special affirmations<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            \u201cIf your child is feeling anxious, you can give them small affirmations that they can repeat to themselves\u201d said Kelly.<\/span><\/p>\n

            \u201cI recommend telling them to say things like: \u2018I’m going to have fun,\u2019 and \u2018I am going to be safe.\u2019 This can be really helpful.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

              \n
            1. Comfort items<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

              Kelly said: \u201cYour child is still very young and may need a little reminder of home with them during the transition period. That could be a special toy (ask at the nursery about their policy on this) or a picture.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

              \u201c\u201cYou can draw a little heart on their hand with a pen and tell them to touch it if they are feeling sad. Or send a \u2018pocket hug\u2019 with them. This can be a piece of paper with a heart drawn on it that they can look at for reassurance.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

              For more information go to <\/b>weechicks.com<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

              September is a key month in any parents\u2019 calendars, with the start of the academic year meaning a whole new experience for three and four year olds: nursery.\u00a0 Starting nursery school or creche is a huge milestone for any child and whilst exciting, it can be a very daunting time for both children and parents … Continued<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23229"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23229"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23229\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23231,"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23229\/revisions\/23231"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23229"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23229"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23229"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}