Why is it difficult for a child to change educators?

Over time, the child establishes a bond of trust and a great bond with his educator. In her childcare setting, she represents stability and largely provides emotional security for the child. He knows her well, and she knows him well too. Changing educators break the stability and continuity so essential for a toddler. Therefore, it is normal that your child does not feel comfortable with his new educator at first. Also Read: Parrot Coloring Pages

With adjusting to a new person, your child also has to adjust to new rules, new activities, and often a new routine. All of these changes can be unsettling and stressful for a toddler.

It can also cause some resistance. For example, your child may be sluggish, lose interest in games, seem sadder, or say things like, “I don’t like going to daycare anymore” or “I don’t like my new teacher.”. It’s his way of telling you that he’s going through a difficult time and needs your help to adapt to this change.

You can’t force him to “love his educator.” You have to give her time to get to know her and help her through this transition.

How to build a new relationship of trust

Establishing a relationship of trust with a new educator can take a few weeks. An open and attentive attitude on the part of the new educator will help your child feel confident with her. Little by little, your child realizes that his discomfort or his stress in front of the novelty will not last forever.

As a parent, also try to be open to this new relationship. By showing him that you have confidence that everything will be fine and that he can adapt, you help him to live well with this change. The more your child will feel that you trust this new educator, the more he will understand that he too can create a bond with her.

However, your child is not alone during this transition period, and not everything is new to them. The other people in the childcare setting with whom he has built a relationship of trust (e.g., former educator, replacement educators, cook, etc.) help to reassure him. The other children in the daycare are also reassuring points of reference that can help him adapt to the situation.

Advice to help him adapt to his new educator

Please find out about upcoming changes in the childcare setting so that you can announce them to your child. Explain to your toddler what is going to happen to help him prepare. Some of your friends will stay in your old group, but others will change groups with you. You know in advance the changes to help to reassure him.

Show him who his new educator will be and tell him his name to prepare him gently before the change.
Please accept a picture of your kid with their new educator. Display it at home (e.g., in their bedroom or on the fridge). You can speak well of her by showing her photo. Your child can thus gradually become familiar with his new educator and see that you have confidence in him.
Name the emotions you observe in your toddler. Say something like, “You miss your old band….” This helps your child put their feelings into words. You can also share your memories to help him see that what he’s going through is normal.

Take the moment to hear carefully to your kid. For a toddler, the simple fact of feeling listened to is comforting in itself. Rephrase what you understand about the situation in your own words. Little by little, your child realizes that his discomfort or his stress in front of the novelty will not last forever.

Please drop by to say hello to his former educator. It’s reassuring for your little one to see that he still has a connection with her. He can also see that she takes care of children younger than him. Little by little, he understands that his place is in his new group with friends of his age.
Discuss your concerns with his new educator. Together, you will be able to share your observations and thus better understand your child’s reactions. It will then be much easier to find ways to comfort him and put in place solutions that will help everyone adjust to the new situation.

The positive effects of a change of group

Even if the change of group and educator puts stress on your child, this event also makes him grow. He gets to know other people and thus becomes more adept at bonding with others. He also develops his ability to adapt to the changes that will occur during his life, for example, when he will have to change classes each year at school.