Drop-off can feel like the biggest hurdle in those first days of Montessori school or daycare, so in this video I walk you through how I approach it in my Montessori toddler classroom. The big idea is order: toddlers might not look orderly, but they crave routine because so much feels chaotic inside their little selves as they grow and their world expands. Drop-off is one of those “little pockets of routine,” and if you can establish sameness from day one (and keep it going for the first few weeks), it truly helps your child adjust to separating from you and settling into the new environment. I share how to think intentionally about the steps your school requires—like signing in, putting items in the cubby (fresh clothes, rain boots, etc.), helping with coat/shoes, and then the goodbye. My biggest tip is to do the same steps in the same order every single time, so it’s predictable and dependable for your child. And when it’s time to say goodbye, I recommend keeping it short and sweet, with a confident tone that shows you trust the process and the teachers—then exit pretty quickly. Toddlers are experts at expanding time with you, so having a simple, consistent goodbye (hug, kiss, high five—whatever is already natural) makes drop-off smoother for both of you.