Separation Anxiety – How to Help Preschoolers Overcome Separation

Separation anxiety is a very real emotion that both parents and young children will feel when a big change is taking place. And the change usually involves a child going to pre-school or daycare for the first time. It can be difficult for the family to get past such moments, but there are techniques you can use to make the transition a lot easier.

Create a Routine

The first step in succeeding on the first few days of your child pre-school is to create a routine. Having a routine means that you already know everything that needs to get done. Everything from getting up to getting your child ready to drive them is written down on your schedule. All you have to do is follow the schedule, and most of the work is done!

But even with a schedule, there is one part of the morning that you cannot orchestrate beforehand. It is the moment when you must say goodbye to your child as you drop them off at daycare or pre-school. It is common for children to get very anxious when the moment arrives, as they do not want to leave the comfortable position of their parent’s side. And many parents can get emotional in these moments too.

Handling Your Emotions

If a parent is emotional during such a moment, you can bet their child will feel the same way. That is why it is so important for parents to handle their emotions during such moments. Yes, you want to show your child love, and you want them to know you will miss them. But if you turn into a blubbering mess of tears each time you drop them off, it will only make it harder for your child to let go and enjoy themselves in daycare or pre-school.

It helps if you talk with parents who have gone through the same process. Discuss the matter with friends or family who recently had a child go to school for the first time. Ask them how they coped because any tips you get will be very helpful.

Goodbye Rituals

Many parents find that creating a fun goodbye ritual with their kid can help a lot with this process. For instance, you can come up with a special handshake or a wave that only the two of you know about. It will be your secret ritual whenever you want to say goodbye, but you do not want to get too emotional. You can talk with your kid about it the night before, so they are prepared too. It is a great way to say goodbye, knowing you will see each other soon enough!

It can be so difficult to get your child ready for their first full day away from home. You want to spend your whole day with them. But you know it is for the best. If you are cool and calm, and you help your child through this moment, it will be much easier on them! And in a few weeks, they will be begging you to take them to school!