Tips for How Parents Can Help with Their Child’s Separation Anxiety

Tips for How Parents Can Help with Their Child’s Separation Anxiety

Parents may realise that sending their children off at a new daycare or a new classroom is more challenging than normal. Separation anxiety affects not all children, although it is very usual for youngsters to be distressed while saying goodbye to their family. Though it may be distressing for a parent, families should remember that separation anxiety is a normal part of childhood development. Families must understand what causes separation anxiety and how to select coping skills that work best for their family in order to help their child through this developmental stage.

What is Separation anxiety?

Separation anxiety in children can be induced by a variety of causes, but at the end of the day, separation anxiety occurs when children are removed from their primary caregivers, whom they trust and feel most at ease with. Families may notice this when they go for work, drop their children off at daycare, or simply leave the room. Your youngster may become clinging, cry, or throw a tantrum if you try to leave.

Separation anxiety can begin as early as infancy and last through preschool years, while some children may never experience it at all. Children will also experience various degrees of separation anxiety. For example, some children may experience it when their parents leave them, even if it is just to go to another room in the house, whereas other children may only experience it when big changes happen in the lives, such as starting at a new school.

How to Battle Separation Anxiety

Watching your child get upset when you leave can be very unsettling for parents, but there are a few ways to help ease your child’s separation anxiety.

1. If you know that a big change that could trigger separation anxiety in your child is approaching, such as starting at a new childcare center, prepare them for it in advance. At Educational Playcare, we encourage families to schedule visits prior to their first day, so that their children can become familiar with the environment and their teachers before they start full-time. This helps your child feel like they are part of a trusting community, which is one of our Core Values.

2. Create quick goodbye routines. This could be something as simple as a cute goodbye phrase, setting your child up with a book and a blanket, or creating a special handshake when you leave. Whatever you decide, try to make your goodbye short and sweet. The longer you stay, the more upset your child will likely become when it’s time to leave.

3. Be consistent. Once you establish a drop-off routine, do your best to stay on track each day. At first, this may be hard to do, but eventually your child will come to expect it during this time and the consistency will help diminish your child’s anxiety.

4. Keep your promises. Some families like to help ease their child’s anxiety by telling them when they will return. If you do, be sure to keep your promises to them, as this will help build your child’s trust and confidence when you are apart.