Helping Kids Deal With Separation Anxiety

Helping Kids Deal With Separation Anxiety

Separation anxiety from a parent is a stressful time for any child – just as much for parents, who may be experiencing the same for their child. This is something the child will eventually come to accept and grow out of – but how do you cope with it in the meantime? Here are a few tips.

During the first year of life, your newborn will develop a strong attachment to you. As young as six months old, your baby may start to become upset when you leave her at daycare, with a relative, or with the babysitter. Separation anxiety is a normal part of infant development. Most babies experience separation anxiety between 12 and 18 months, though early signs may be evident by six or seven months.

Toddlers usually experience separation anxiety when their parents leave them with a caregiver to go to work, run errands, or enjoy a night out. Although this normal stage in development typically only lasts a few months, it can be very frustrating and stressful for both parents and the little ones.

Some parents try to keep separation to a minimum as they wait for their child to outgrow the stage. But for many parents, returning to work is not an option. It may be easier to leave your little one with a friend or relative she is familiar with until she has resolved her separation anxieties. If you choose a caregiver that your baby doesn’t know, spend some time visiting the new environment prior to her first day. Separation may not be as difficult if your baby is at least somewhat familiar with her surroundings and the person she will be spending time with.

Parents need to spend some time away from their children, so leaving your little one with a relative or a care provider is usually inevitable. Make the separation as comfortable as possible for you and your baby. Always visit new care facilities with your child before leaving her alone.

Most childcare centers, will welcome a brief visit. Stay close but allow your child to play and interact without you.

On the first day, you and your baby may want to arrive at the location about 30 minutes early. Tell your baby where you will be while you are away and assure her you will be back to get her soon. Give her plenty of hugs and kisses, but try not to make your separation too big a deal. You may want to stay in the building, but out of sight, for a few minutes to give your little one a chance to settle in. Once you leave do not return until time to pick up her up to go home.

If your child is having an exceptionally hard time, try limiting the first stay to no more than an hour. If the provider’s rules allow it, a familiar toy, may ease her anxieties.

Separation anxieties are a troublesome time for most parents and their toddlers. Though your baby may scream and cry, her fears will typically subside within the first 15 to 30 minutes.

Remember this is a normal stage of development and do your best to help your child through it.

Source: 1klassifieds, New Straits Times, September 2, 2009