Why I meet and greet kids of my son's daycare Every Day

The first month after my son joined his daycare was really hard won. For few initial days, I left him crying in the arms of his daycare teacher. I used to be very sentimental and used to curse my decision of getting my son enrolled in the daycare. As per the daycare teacher, it is very obvious and normal that the child gets scared parting from her mother and having strangers all around. She used to tell me to relax my thought horses and give some time to my boy. Although, my situation was the most favorable one can ever get. The daycare is in my office only and I had the freedom to go and hug my son anytime. Howbeit, for a mother of home pampered kid, it was toilsome.

Days were going in hope of my 1 and half-year-old getting jelled there. What a tough time it was! One day when I was standing in front of the daycare door carrying my boy, and the daycare teacher lovingly called him  “Come, my child”, I saw my clingy tot willingly rushing to someone else’s arms. I was emotional and in tears. That was the day when he waved me a good bye all smiling and looking pleased. Aah!! I was so composed and poised. Since then, my son is gleefully enjoying his daycare. He is learning new things and understanding the world more and more. All thanks to daycare staff, they love my boy so much.

Every other day when I drop my son to his daycare, I find new moms and new kids joining the gang of cute kids who stay there till evening. I observe mothers in the same situation where I was 2 years back, nervous and tender hearted. They stick around the daycare’s gate to see if their kids stop crying after their disappearance. Some of them ask me to go inside and check their buds. I do this whole heartedly and religiously. I know what these mothers are going through and someone like me whose kid is settled since long can give them the much-needed solace.

Then I look at those innocent babies and toddlers who struggle to stay departed from their mothers. If it’s the first day of the daycare, most of the time, they want to stay outside. They hate how everything is so unknown and strange inside. They like to be friend with other kids playing, singing rhymes and reading books. However, they don’t like the grown-up strangers, the daycare staff. I try my bit to make every new kid relax and familiar with ambiance. I take my boy along and try to talk to the new baby. Infants and pre-toddlers don’t respond much. But toddlers do. I give them chocolates, standing by Cadbury’s ad “Har rishtey ki shuruwat meethe se honi chahiye..” Kids like chocolates!  I help my boy to make affinity with new kids. I myself try to be an Anuty-friend with such kids. So that when they see me, they could feel better.  Every day I make sure to say “Hi” and “Good Morning” to new kids of daycare. I manage some time to quickly chat with their mothers in front of them. So that, they could know I am someone they can trust.

And then, my efforts get fruitful. They start giving me smiles back. They start responding my ‘Hi’s and Good Mornings. When during the day, I go and meet my son in the daycare; other kids also come and meet me. Some of them want to sit in my lap, some wish to get carried and some even demand my cell phone. But I manage to give attention to many of them, including my son, whom I give a shared a heed. And this feels so good when you see another baby getting settled in the daycare. I get close to that feeling which I had, when for the first time my boy willingly went in the arms of daycare teacher.

I love kids. And I like to see them smiling, giggling and chuckling all the time. This is how I put in efforts Every Day to make a sad kid smile. I can’t go far and work with any NGO to help unprivileged kids Every Day.  I have to work in my office complete 8 hours. However, I am giving my contribution this way with trying to make a new joiner kid (of daycare) happy Every Day. I see the results and it’s so rewarding, believe me. 

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