The first few days of school can be difficult, especially for a child that has spent a majority of their life up to this point with their parents at home. While this isn’t always a desirable situation to find yourself in, it’s extremely common. That is why, in today’s blog, the team at Yellow Brick Road Early Childhood Development Center will be touching about ways that you can work through separation anxiety with your child.
Talk to the Teachers
One of the first things that you want to do is schedule time to talk to their teachers. Separation anxiety can come out in a few different ways, and it never hurts to prepare the teacher for what they’re inevitably going to experience. Whether your child throws tantrums and cries or they go silent and isolate themselves, the teachers need to know what to expect and how to care for your child so they can recognize when your child is upset.
Ease Them Into It
The primary reason that so many children experience separation anxiety is that they don’t know anything but how to be at home with familiar faces. When you go from that to a full day apart, it makes a bit more sense as to why children wind up with separation anxiety in the first place. A fantastic way to do this is by starting them off with half-day daycare or preschool programs. Little by little they will get comfortable being away from home and in an educational setting.
Schedule in Separations
Going to a new and unfamiliar place isn’t the only time where separation can be challenging for children. Daycare and preschool programs incorporate nap times for young children, which is yet another time where kids are sure to miss their parents. Think about it: when your child wakes up from a nap, who is the first person they see? You! Giving your child some space after you wake them up from a nap can help them get used to not having you there at school. While this can be difficult to practice at home, giving them some time to slowly wake up on their own and see that they’re completely alone can help them get used to this when they’re in school.
Quick Goodbyes
As difficult as it may be for you to do, quick goodbyes are always good for children with separation anxiety. Though it may be surprising to hear this, the less time that you spend with your child once they’re upset, the better. If your little one starts to cry and you inherently stick around and try to comfort them, they’re going to think that’s how you’ll always react. Once that happens, the crying and comforting becomes a ritual and the separation anxiety only gets worse. That is exactly why we suggest quick goodbyes with a quick hug and kiss.
Figure Out Your Morning Routine
It’s amazing just how much a routine can help minimize the chances of your child experiencing separation anxiety. By having a set routine that you and your child get accustomed to following, they can get into the swing of things and comfortable much quicker. We will touch a little bit more on things that you should incorporate into your morning routine to make the most of it in our next blog post. For now, know that you will want to sit down and determine what absolutely must happen on a regular basis and what works best for you and your child. Tweaking your morning routine is suggested so that you are both efficient and effective when dropping your little one off at daycare.
Visit Our Facility
Yellow Brick Road Early Childhood Development Center is proud to provide children with the education that they need and deserve. If you’re looking for the perfect child care facility to trust with your child’s well-being and education, look no further than Yellow Brick Road Early Childhood Development Center in Minnetonka. Our years of experience and thorough curriculum make it everything that you need to ensure your child builds a strong foundation for their education. Contact us today with any questions that you have or to schedule a tour of our facility — we would be more than happy to get you taken care of.
