Getting a divorce will have a major impact on your family dynamic, especially if one of you was a stay-at-home parent. In cases such as these, where there are young children who must be cared for, a major change will be the introduction of daycare. Both parents will need to work in order to maintain his and her own household, which means children will have to have at least part-time care outside of the home.

With these new changes, you can expect the child to experience some anxiety at drop-off time, particularly if the child has not been outside of parental care very often. The following are some things you can do to help ease your child into the daycare drop-off routine to ward off anxiety:

Keep Yourself Calm

If you are the parent who stayed home with the child, it is going to be a major transition for you just as much as it is for your child. This will be completely new to all of you, so it is easy to become uneasy about everything. It is crucial, however, that you remain as calm as you can. Becoming visibly upset is going to upset your child even more. Keep in mind that this is going to be a positive experience for your child. He or she is going to play, learn, make new friends, and have a wonderful time. If you show that you are upset or anxious, it will only prolong your child's initial fears.

Stick To A Routine

One of the best things you can do for your child is keep a solid routine, as children will thrive on it. The same goes for your drop-off routine. When you take your child to daycare, establish some routines, such as stopping for a donut each Friday or have a secret handshake you do outside of the classroom. Try to get in and out of the classroom as soon as you can. Prolonging the time you are there is only going to exacerbate your child's nervousness.

One thing to keep in mind is that your child is going to get used to this new stage of life. However, there is a chance that on occasion, your child may have bouts of anxiety when you are dropping him or her to daycare. It could be a month or a year later, but it is not at all uncommon. Major changes, such as having a parent remarry, moving to a new home, or suddenly having a new sibling, are all things that can trigger a relapse in drop-off anxiety. Try to keep your routines and try to minimize the effect of the change on your child as much as possible.

For more information, contact a professional in your area like those found at Begley Carlin & Mandio LLP.