Now, on to a tough topic that we have
been experiencing lately - Separation Anxiety.
I know that this is a heart wrenching stage of parenting and I feel for
you since I have gone through this with my own children. Some families are concerned that their child
is having a difficult time attending class without them or grandparents being
there. This is called separation anxiety
when a child is sad, crying and even angry when they are separated from their
parents. Fortunately, this is all normal
but not to say, easy. Some children
adapt with ease and some have a difficult time.
But, there is nothing to be alarmed about because it is natural for a
child to want to be with the person they are most comfortable with. Having said
that, it is still so hard!
You always have to remember that your
child is only two and is learning to cope with other caregivers that are not
their family members. The fear is very
valid because they may worry about their parents not returning back, who they are
left with and being in a different environment.
Can you imagine how they must be feeling?
As your child’s educators, we are here
to make their transition as least difficult for them by letting them get to
know us, and making their environment as inviting to them as possible. Our goal is to make it a positive experience.
We are building trust with then and making them feel safe. By attending class
consistently and having a routine in place for them helps them know what to
expect. Children do well with consistency.
As a parent, it is hard to say goodbye
to your crying child, but we have found that a quick and short goodbye works
best. We are here to help you and we will gently take your child and help him
or her find an activity that they will enjoy.
This is called redirection, a little trick that we use in our field.
Sometimes it works like a charm and sometimes we have to let a child just go
through their stages of emotions. Every
child is different and may require a different pathway.
We want the most positive experience for them. There will be tears but never for the entire class as we want them to feel safe and secure. So, we will come find you or call you if your child is really having a difficult time. In most situations, we usually find you to let you know how your child is doing, hopefully we can say he or she is not crying and is engaged in an activity. Either way we believe in communicating with you at all times. We are in this together to help your child succeed in moving forward with separation anxiety. It does get easier as time passes by. Usually the crying gets shorter and they are happy to come to class.
Some tips that may help:
~ prepping and talking to your child about what will happen during
class
~ reassuring your child you will return
~ providing your child with a stuff animal,
toy, or photo to comfort them
~ reading story books that are related to
children that go away from home but everything is ok
~ keeping goodbyes short
~ providing consistency
Since September, we have seen many of
your children adapt to their time with us and we are so proud of each of them. We
would like to thank the parents for your patience and trust in us to provide a
safe learning environment for your child.
Until next time, Deanna
