Saying good-bye is hard to do, especially if you’re the parent of a small child who suffers from separation anxiety. Parenting expert and author Kimberley Clayton Blaine says there is good reason behind your toddler’s tears and offers up helpful solutions for making your “so long’s” a little less stressful.
If you haven’t had that tinge of separation anxiety yet, you’ll have your turn! Whether it’s you or your baby who’s suffering – we’re all bound to feel it at some point…It’s the moment every parent of a small child dreads: the good-bye. For parents of young children it can be a gut-wrenching, heart aching, guilt-ridden moment full of tears, protests, and quick getaways. Separation anxiety can ruin your workday, put a damper on your (rare!) dinner out, and keep you trapped to your house (and chained to your toddler). But parenting expert Kimberley Clayton Blaine says that doesn’t have to be the case- and there are some simple solutions that can make saying good-bye a little easier for both the kids and the parents involved.
Babies can show signs of separation anxiety as early as six months, but young children can experience it at almost any age. One of the hardest scenarios for parents to deal with is dropping their clingy and crying toddler off at daycare. It can tug at your heartstrings and make you doubt yourself and your decisions. But the good news is that separation anxiety will pass- and there are some simple solutions to help you get to that point. Toddlers, she says, understand about people leaving before they learn about people returning- and they can tell from your actions that you’re about to leave. So for most children (and their parents) anxiety begins to build even before you’ve stepped one foot out the door.
Separation anxiety can show up in many forms. Your child may cry when you leave the room or refuse to be put down if she knows you’ll be leaving. Some children will even go so far as to follow their parents into every room all day long. It can be both frustrating and sad for parents when they feel as though they are causing their children sadness. But the good news is that there are some tricks to help you both feel better about times of separation.
For more great parenting tips check out Kimberley’s book, www.TheGoToMomsGuide.com.
