Settling (Back) into Nursery: A Gentle Reminder for Parents

When nurseries reopen, it is not only children who begin a new chapter. Parents, too, experience the weight of change. The moment you say goodbye at the door can feel far heavier than you expected. The truth is, separation is not easy on either side, and those feelings are real, valid, and shared.

Children need time to build trust in a new environment. Parents need time to adjust to stepping back, even just for a few hours. Sometimes the recommended “settling-in” period offered by nurseries feels too quick. That is because every child is unique, and so is every family. For some, confidence comes within days. For others, it takes weeks or longer. And that is perfectly okay.

Separation is a process that unfolds gently, at its own pace. It is not a race, and there is no single “right” timeline. What matters most is consistency, love, and patience. With time, children learn that nursery is a safe place where they can play, discover, and make friends, while parents learn to hold both pride and longing at the same time.

If you are finding these first days difficult, know that you are not alone. Behind every door where a little one takes their first steps into nursery, there is a parent outside who feels exactly as you do. This journey belongs to your whole family, and it deserves the time it needs.

Vasiliki Papageorgiou

Playroom Consultant