Settling your baby or toddler in with a new childminder

The question parents ask me most isn't about food or hours. It's: will my child be alright without me?

They will. And how you start makes the biggest difference. Here's the short version, after forty years of doing it.

Start slowly

No child should be dropped in cold on day one. We do one or two short sessions first — you stay, then you pop out and come back, then we build up.

Some children settle in twenty minutes. Some need a few goes. Both are normal.

Keep goodbyes short and cheerful

Don't slip away when they're not looking — it does more harm than a quick goodbye.

A hug, the same few words, and you actually go. Children read your face. If you're calm, they learn this is fine. The tears, when they come, usually stop within a minute or two.

Bring a bit of home

The muslin, the bear, the dummy — whatever your child holds onto. Tell me their nap habits and the words you use at home. Keeping things familiar is what makes it feel safe.

Give it two or three weeks

"Settled" isn't a child who never grumbles at drop-off. It's a child who eats, sleeps, plays, and comes to me for a cuddle when they need one. That's usually there within two or three weeks, even after a rocky first few mornings.

If your child is moving from home or another setting, expect a wobble in week one. It passes. Keep drop-offs the same and evenings calm.

We do this together

A good childminder settles your child with you, not instead of you.

If you'd like to see the setting and talk it through for your little one, book a visit — that's where we'd plan the settling sessions — or send me a message. Our daily rhythm is on the site too; the predictability is a big part of why children settle.