Learning how to part with your child can be difficult for not only you as a parent, but also for the child as well. Approximately 4% to 5% of children suffer from separation anxiety, although the symptoms normally disappear as they develop and grow. Getting through the separation anxiety can be difficult. But you want to help your child grow accustomed to spending time without you and to grow independent when enrolled in a child care center. To make the transition easier, follow these 3 tips to help ease the stresses associated with separation anxiety.

Allow Your Child to Bring an Item with Them to School

The strangeness of a new environment can trigger symptoms of separation anxiety. Your child might feel fearful of going to school or might feel fearful of making new friends and socializing with other playmates. Giving your child a sense of familiarity can make all the difference needed. The easiest way of doing so is to allow your child to bring an item from home with them to the child care center. This may be a blanket or a stuffed toy that they are attached to or particularly fond of.

Ask the child care center whether they have any restrictions or limitations on the type of items that can be brought to school. For example, some child care centers are hesitant to allow children to bring stuffed toys with them, as stuffed toys can easily attract bacteria and germs.

Ask the Child Care Center Whether Your Child Can Phone You Once During the Day

For most young children, not seeing their parents for an entire day can prove to be stressful, especially if they used to spend the whole day with their parents before. The hours and minutes can go by tremendously slowly, and an entire day can feel like a lifetime. Give your child something to look forward to and a sense of familiarity by asking the child care center to accommodate your child by allowing them to make one phone call during the middle of the day. Several minutes on the phone with you can really help calm their minds.

During the phone call, ask your child about their day, and let them express their feelings. Make sure that you acknowledge how they feel and give them a lot of praise to show them how proud you are. You can either have the child care center call you on a personal phone or on a work phone, and the staff members will try to schedule the call based on your schedule.

Develop a Fun "Goodbye" Ritual for Each Morning

One of the best ways of easing the stresses that are associated with separation anxiety is to make the day seem a lot more fun. Develop a quirky or unusual goodbye ritual with your child that they can look forward to. For example, you might come up with a special handshake or even something as simple as a special wave through the window. Be consistent with your goodbye ritual. The goal is to develop some sort of pattern or habit that makes easing into child care a lot easier.

Develop the goodbye ritual with your child so that they feel like the ritual belongs to them. You should try to tailor the ritual to your child's likes and preferences.

Conclusion

If you notice that your child seems particularly anxious or hesitant to go to their child care center, make an effort to acknowledge the stresses they are struggling with. Be empathetic, but, at the same time, praise them for being brave. Give the child care center a heads up, and have the staff members monitor your child's behavior and give you regular updates on how your child is adjusting and doing throughout the day.

For more information and tips on transitioning your child to a child care center, talk with some local facilities in your area, such as Learning Tree Schools.

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