I don’t know about you but every time I leave Mac with a new caregiver, I feel like I want to write them a whole book with everything I know about her and then test them about it at the end. Crazy? Yes, but every parent wants the best for their child. As a toddler teacher, I can tell you that I don’t need to know everything, but there are certain things I would love to know when a new toddler comes into my room.

Sleeping

This is probably the biggest thing I like to hear about. Imagine trying to put 10 toddlers down for nap in one room, especially on the first day when many of them are already upset at the newness of everything. It can be incredibly frustrating. So what should you tell the teacher about?

1. Non-Sleeper-Mac falls into this category. I have already fore-warned her teacher for next year. She doesn’t nap well. I wouldn’t be surprised if her nap at school is short or maybe even non-existent. Warn the teacher and then be okay with the length of nap the child does get.
2. Totally Different Schedule-In my room, the nap everyday is from 1-2:30. If your child normally takes a nap at 10 am, that may cause a problem. Let the teacher know about the discrepancy and be prepared for a weird schedule for a little while.

Just a note, sometimes school is so exhausting that children we thought may have a problem napping actually conk right out without a peep. And the ones that normally sleep for 4 hours at home will only sleep 1 hour at school. Home sleep habits don’t always translate to school sleep habits, but it is nice to know.

Comfort Items

In my Montessori toddler room, we do not allow baby bottles or pacifiers. We also try to discourage comfort items in general because sometimes it interferes with the child’s ability to get engaged with the work in their room because they are too busy managing their teddy bear or blanket. Now, that doesn’t mean we rip it out of their hands as they walk in the classroom door, but we ask parents to try to help the child leave it at home or in the car. So what should you tell the teacher about if your child’s school has similar policies about comfort items?

1. Pacifiers-By the time a child is in the toddler room, pacifiers should be long gone. But if your child uses one, be open with the teacher. We strive to give the child independence at school and we want to help you do the same at home. Parenting is hard and sometimes it is okay to just let something slide. But when you are ready to get rid of the pacifier, we will be there to help.
2. Bottles-This is another comfort item that a toddler shouldn’t use. They aren’t babies anymore! But again, we will help you come up with ideas to break the habit when you are ready.
3. Teddy Bear/Blanket-This isn’t really a habit to break, but it is something that there is a time and a place for. Teddy bears and blankets should ideally be for bedtime, naptime, and when the child is feeling sick. At school, sometimes they are brought in the room and usually the child will leave them somewhere as they are interested in something. We simply stick it on top of their cubby and hope they become interested in the work instead of noticing the absence of Teddy.

Speech/Language

Let me just start out by saying most toddler teachers will be experts at speaking “toddler.” But every once in a while, we are stumped by something a toddler says. So what language things should you let us know about?

1. Proper Names-If your child calls their Grandparent “Noo-Noo” or something else out of the norm, let us know. We like talking to the child about their family members, but we need to know what the child calls them. I once spent months and months thinking a name the toddler was saying was a dog’s. Here I come to find out she had been talking about her grandpa the entire time!
2. Weirdness that Could Call Confusion-Maybe your toddler asks for milk at mealtime, but really means water. Maybe they say shoes when they mean socks. Anything that could help us sidestep a possible and totally meaningless tantrum is appreciated.

Eating

Obviously you would tell the teacher about any allergies, but what about other weird food stuff?

1. Intolerances/Weird Reactions-If your child gets a diaper rash when they eat grapes, let us know! If they get a rash when they eat strawberries, let us know! We don’t want your child to be in pain simply because of what we are serving for snack.
2. Quirks-My daughter doesn’t drink milk. It isn’t an allergy or weird diet; she simply doesn’t like it. I will make sure to relay that to her teacher and assure her that water is what we want her to drink.

Can you think of anything else you would add to this list? Let me know!