I can’t quite believe that the time has come to start saying goodbye to daycare. On August 28th, my daughter will have her final day at daycare before starting school. I already know that day is going to be emotional.
There will also be excitement, relief and a whole lot of pride mixed in there. After all, she has come such a long way since she was just 11 months old. Still, knowing that daycare is coming to an end feels like saying goodbye to much more than a place she has spent her days.
It feels like we are closing an entire chapter of our lives.
From 11 Months Old to Starting School
My daughter started daycare when she was just 11 months old. At the time, we were living in Mississauga, and she attended Lullaboo.
I was 39 years old, and I remember that first drop-off being very bittersweet. She was so tiny, and while I was sad to leave her, I also knew I was going to work and would be back for her soon.
I even remember what she wore on her first day. She had on fuzzy bottoms and a fuzzy top, which seemed like a good idea at the time. It turned out to be far too warm for her!
Looking back now, that little detail makes me smile because it reminds me just how much has changed.
When we moved to the Brockville area in 2024, she was two years old. I had been worried that finding a new daycare would be stressful, but thankfully, it turned out to be fairly easy.
She started attending Stepping Stones, which became the next big part of her daycare years.
At first, I was nervous about leaving her somewhere new. I wondered how she would settle in and whether she would enjoy it. Thankfully, she did.
Now, two years later, I am preparing to say goodbye.
What I Will Remember About Daycare
daycare hallway 1
Both daycare experiences were different.
At Lullaboo, I loved how interactive the experience was for parents. There was an app where I could receive updates throughout the day, which I really appreciated, especially when she was so young.
I also remember attending a pancake day with her. It was such a fun experience, and I loved being able to participate in something happening in her classroom.
There were also opportunities to go into the classroom and make crafts together.
Those might seem like small things, but they are the kinds of memories that stick with you.
At Stepping Stones, the communication was different. I didn’t receive the same regular app updates, but overall, communication was good whenever it was needed. More importantly, she formed friendships and became comfortable there.
Over time, she had different little friendships. First there was Isla, then Camilla, and eventually Dylan.
She would come home and tell me little bits about her day and talk about some of her classmates. I won’t remember every single detail of her daycare years, but I know those friendships were important to her.
I will also remember the patience her teachers have shown her.
Watching my daughter grow in confidence and independence has been one of the best parts of these years. Daycare has been somewhere she has learned, played, socialized and developed new skills.
The Things I Won’t Miss About Daycare
As emotional as I am about saying goodbye to daycare, there are definitely things I won’t miss.
The biggest one is the evening rush.
My workday ends at 4:30 PM, and then I have to make the roughly 30-minute journey to pick her up. There have been plenty of days when I have watched the clock, knowing I needed to leave work and get on the road.
That constant feeling of having somewhere else to be can be stressful.
The daycare illnesses are another thing I won’t miss. Her class has been mixed with the toddler class during parts of the morning and afternoon, so there have certainly been plenty of colds along the way.
Then there are the diapers.
For quite a while, diapers were simply another thing that had to be packed, checked and replaced. Eventually, though, they became less and less necessary.
Now, another little piece of that stage is disappearing.
The Seven Pairs of Underwear
Speaking of potty training, there is one daycare memory that still makes me laugh.
When I was potty training my daughter, I decided one day that I needed to be prepared.
So I sent her to daycare with seven pairs of underwear.
Yes, seven.
In my mind, I was preparing for the entire week.
Clearly, I had underestimated her because she didn’t need a single pair.
She came home with all seven still there.
At the time, I was probably just happy that the potty training was going well. Looking back, though, it is another little reminder of how quickly children move through these stages.
Now we are getting ready for school.
Daycare Was More Than Childcare
For me, daycare has never simply been somewhere my daughter went while I worked.
It was a huge part of how I managed life as a single mum.
Daycare allowed me to work. It gave me a reliable routine. It allowed me to volunteer, work on Life of Gem and take care of all the other things that come with everyday life.
Most importantly, it gave me a place where I knew my daughter was being cared for while I handled everything else.
That doesn’t mean every day was easy.
There were rushed mornings, busy evenings, daycare illnesses and the occasional feeling that I was constantly racing against the clock.
Still, daycare was an important part of our lives.
It supported us through a lot of changes, including moving from Mississauga to Brockville and settling into a new community.
Now, that chapter is ending.
What Saying Goodbye to Daycare Means
daycare hallway 2
I think what makes saying goodbye to daycare so emotional is that I am not just saying goodbye to daycare.
I am saying goodbye to the toddler years.
I’m saying goodbye to the little girl who needed diapers in her daycare bag.
I’m saying goodbye to packing extra clothes and making sure everything she might need was ready for another day.
I’m saying goodbye to a routine that has been part of our lives for years.
And I’m saying goodbye to a version of myself as a mum, too.
When she started daycare at 11 months old, I was 39. Now I’m 41, and my little girl is getting ready to start school.
How did that happen so quickly?
A New Chapter Is Coming
As emotional as I am, I am also incredibly relieved.
There won’t be the extra daycare expense anymore, which is a wonderful feeling. Having one less monthly expense is something I am definitely looking forward to.
There will also be less stress around the evening routine.
My mornings will stay fairly similar, but I won’t have to leave work and race toward daycare for pickup anymore. My mum will be helping by dropping my daughter off at school in the morning and picking her up in the afternoon.
Knowing she will be safe with my mum makes this transition much easier for me.
I am also excited to see what she learns next.
School will bring new skills, new experiences and, of course, new friendships.
I know she will miss some of her daycare friends. That makes me sad too. However, I also know her. She has grown into such an independent little girl, and I have no doubt that she will make new friends.
The Last Day
Her final day of daycare will be August 28th.
I will actually have the day off work, although I have several appointments scheduled. Around 3 PM, we will go to daycare to drop off gifts for her teachers.
I have put together glass jars containing a bracelet, pens, chocolate and a compact.
It won’t be anything huge, but I wanted to give them something as a small thank you.
After all, these are the people who have been part of her life during such an important stage.
I know I will probably feel emotional.
I suspect that walking through those daycare doors for the last time will feel strange.
There will probably be a part of me thinking about that tiny 11-month-old who once walked through the doors of Lullaboo, completely unaware of how much life was about to change.
And now, here we are.
Getting ready for school.
From One Mum to Another
If you are also saying goodbye to daycare, I want you to know that it is completely okay to have mixed emotions.
You can be sad and relieved.
You can miss the teachers and still be happy about the change.
You can feel emotional about your child’s friendships while also being excited for the new ones they will make.
You can be proud of how independent your child has become while quietly wishing you could slow everything down.
There is no right way to feel about the end of daycare.
For me, it is emotional, exciting, relieving and bittersweet all at once.
But there is one thing I would tell the 39-year-old version of myself who nervously dropped her tiny 11-month-old off at daycare for the first time.
It’s going to be okay.
She was okay then.
And she is going to be okay now.
More importantly, so am I.
Daycare has been a huge part of our lives, and now we’re closing that chapter.
As sad as I am to see it end, I am also incredibly proud of how far my daughter has come.
The toddler years are behind us.
School is next.
And somehow, I think we’re both ready.
I share more real-life moments from single motherhood, Ontario adventures, everyday style, food finds, and behind-the-scenes blogging over on Instagram.
Come say hello: @lifeofgem28
If you enjoyed reading this blog post as much as I enjoyed writing it, you may enjoy reading one of these blog posts:
New Beginnings: Moving as a Single Mum and Navigating Schooling, Childcare & Community
From London to Canada: What moving at age 7 taught me about resilience
How Being a Single Mum Affects Career Decisions: Jobs, Childcare, School and Work-Life Balance
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