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Separation Anxiety
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If your toddler screams "No, no, no, no, no!" as you try to duck out for groceries or head off to work, it could be due to separation anxiety, which occurs when a child exhibits extreme stress when one or both parents leave. It usually begins after a child starts to walk, and that's no coincidence -- with their newfound freedom comes newfound fears. It generally peaks between 15 and 30 months.
More prevalent in cautious or shy children who have a hard time with change, separation anxiety typically occurs with a transition in the caregiver. It can also be brought on or intensified by different circumstances such as a new home, new school, or new sibling....
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If you have to leave, remind your child that you will come back. Let them know that you always come back and that when you do you want to know what they did while you were gone. If you are introducing your child to a new sitter or school where they will be without you for several hours at a time, gently introduce them to the new person or environment. For instance, if they are going to be with a sitter, have the sitter come over in advance while you are around for a while. Let them see you interact with the sitter and let your child know that the sitter is going to watch them later without you. Have your child show the sitter around the house and their favorite toys. The more comfortable you make your child with the new situation; the more at ease they will be when you have to leave.
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Children Separation Anxiety
Separation anxiety from the Montessori Education point of view.
2 weeks ago
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September 17, 2007
A Tale of Two Half-Siblings
I am currently struggling with the fallout of my elder child's separation from our family, and my younger child's struggle with this. My daughter, who is 17, was the product of my first marriage to a man who turned out to be very abusive in every respect. Long story short, I left him... read moreNot Acceptable?