Susie Almaneih lists and explains 7 Strategies to Help You and Your Child Deal with Separation Anxiety

1. 7 Strategies to Help You and Your
Child Deal with Separation Anxiety
Susie Almaneih

2. seeing your little ones’ faces crumple when you have to leave them with a caregiver,
especially when they are small. No one ever likes to cause his or her child distress, period.
It’s a terrible feeling,

3. For new parents of a first child, this
can be particularly difficult because
it’s hard for us to tell if this is normal.
And let’s face it; we don’t want to
leave our child either. To make matters
worse, we feel guilty leaving someone
else in charge of a tearful child.

4. Thankfully, separation anxiety is a
natural phase and there are lots of things
we can do it ease the discomfort of it.

5. Maintain a positive attitude and show them with your body language and voice that there is nothing to
worry about. Kids take their cues from their parents, and if you are distressed, that will make it worse.
Keep Yourself Cool.

6. It seems like a pain-free idea to slip out when they don’t notice, but that can really
make things escalate for them. The regular routine of saying goodbye and coming
back will show them that you are indeed, just running an errand or going to work
and you will return. However, don’t string the goodbye out longer than necessary.
Keep it short, but always say goodbye.

7. Having an activity to jump into right when you leave helps most kids to stop crying after a few
minutes. Another great idea is to have a favorite toy nearby. It’s comforting and familiar for them.
Create a goodbye ritual.

8. Make a photo album.
Some parents have had success making a photo book with the familiar faces of
family that their little one can look at when he or she feels lonely. Babysitters also have
a cool trick with older kids: if children are missing a parent throughout the day, they can
dictate a letter or make some art for them that they can present upon the parent’s return.

9. Be patient with yourself.As you and your child become accustomed to periods of separation; it takes time and it’s
normal for feelings of guilt and anxiety to come up for you.

10. Make quality time really count.
One of the ways you can help your children feel secure is by giving them your full attention when together.
Make time to bond, do something messy or silly, read, and cuddle so that they know you are present.

11. If you don’t see progress in the separation anxiety over several weeks, consider all factors:
is the caregiver a good fit for your child’s temperament? Is your schedule so full that
you don’t have quality time with your child? Be willing to ask some hard questions about
your set-up, and explore ways to change it up.
Because while separation anxiety is a normal part of development, it’s also not good for any
small child to go hours a day in distress, or for weeks at a time. For most kids, there are
tears for the first 10 minutes and then they recover and go back to playing. If this isn’t the
case, look for ways to make the situation more workable for everyone.

12. Separation anxiety is the
first step toward
independence and while it
is painful, it will also pass.
Kindness toward our kids
and ourselves is the best
thing we can do to get
through the difficult
patches, and one day, you
will actually miss the times
they were so attached to
you that they didn’t want to
let you go!