One of the hardest things when delivering your child early into school and daycare is separation anxiety or anxiety about separation. Starting from not wanting to remove the sling to cry howling don't want to be left. When you see a scene like that, it feels like Mommy wants to cry, huh?
To make it easier for Daddy or Mommy to deal with this phase, the following is a summary of tips for dealing with separation anxiety in children from the book What To Expect The Second Year by Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel.
Understand separation anxiety as part of a child's development
Parents will be aware of the signs of separation anxiety in your child since he was 9 months old. Some other children are relatively easy to deal with separation, but began to be so attached to their parents at the age of 2 or 3 years.
Some children even show anxiety when they are 5 or 6 years old. There are also children who are anxious at the beginning of the separation, but on the next occasion, he does not mind being left by his father and Mommy.
Give your full attention when together
Attention like a packet of chocolate. You can finish it at any time, but you tend to be reluctant to eat the whole slice at a time. If your child knows that Mommy's love and attention are always there for him, he won't feel inattentive. In time, he will feel comfortable exploring at times apart from Mommy.
Don't talk about farewell. Even though Mommy is actually languishing because of the separation from her child, act calmly. When traveling to school or daycare, avoid talking about the separation.
Discuss fun things like activities that your baby will do at school or daycare, interesting sights you will find during the trip, or the exact time Mommy will pick her up from there (after lunch, after lunch, or before dinner).
Be relaxed
When Mommy was about to leave, it turned out that the child was cried uncontrollably. Don't say, "Hush, don't be whiny. Just shy," or "Awww, the little baby still wants his Mommy, yeah." Act as if the crying doesn't affect Mommy.
Be positive
Smile and show enthusiasm, enthusiasm, and also joy. Children tend to be carried away by emotions and know the feelings of their parents, you know. By being positive, in time, your child becomes calmer when facing separation.
Immediately leave
Upon arrival at school or daycare, smile and say goodbye. After that, don't look back again. Mommy doesn't want to convey the message that the longer your little one cries, the longer Mommy is there, right?
Don't feel guilty
Learning to separate is certainly hard for some children, but it is an important life lesson. Mommy actually has helped your child learn to be strong when facing separation. Moreover, if the child is handled by the right people, there is no reason to be sad and depressed after moving from daycare or school.
Remember, there is always a moment of temporary separation from the child.
- First day of school.
- First experience staying at the home of a cousin or friend.
- First camping experience with school friends.
In conclusion, separation anxiety is just a phase in the life of your child that will always come and go. So, deal with calm and relaxed.
Source: ParentTalk.id