Finding Child Care for Your Shy Child
Parents of children who tend to be shy sometimes worry about them getting enough attention and assistance in childcare and preschool. I am the parent of two boys, one of whom was quite shy. To find a program that met his needs, I looked for programs that were high quality, with staff who have been there for a long period of time. I used as many quality indicators as I could find as measuring tools, such as well-educated staff, teachers who get down to a child’s level to talk with them, who exhibit patience and are willing to wait for a child’s answer when asking questions, and programs that are less crowded, quieter, and with good teacher to child ratios.
Be sure to let the program staff know your children will need some time to adjust normally and may need extra time in the current climate. The potential programs that you have chosen as a possible new place will be on the Great Start website, and you will have many details about it accessible to you including the licensing records. Look for “Child Care Licensing Report” on the profile for each program. Also look for the higher star ratings to help you identify high quality places.
When my little guy was starting a new program, we had to be very patient with him during transitions, and it sometimes took a little longer until he felt comfortable in the new place. Making sure the teachers and director knew about his needs, and what things were most helpful for him to calm him and make him feel relaxed was a key strategy for us.
Children also key in on your own emotions, so be sure you are positive and confident during the enrollment. Below are a couple of resources, the first is targeted to teachers, but useful for parents, too. The second one is helpful for evaluating a program’s quality. The third is specifically for shy children.
-Carolyn Graves, M.A. ,Quality Improvement Specialist
Child Care Network
Great Start to Quality Southeast Resource Center
www.childcarenetwork.org