Separation anxiety is a perfectly normal part of a child’s development, especially when it comes time to start nursery. Up until this point, children have spent almost all of their time with their parents or guardians, which means that having to be apart - especially when they have no understanding of why this is - can cause high levels of anxiety that can be difficult to manage.
While it can be upsetting if your child is struggling to settle into day nursery because of their separation anxiety, with the right techniques and support at hand, you can help your child feel more at ease.
What is Separation Anxiety?
Separation anxiety refers to an overwhelming feeling of panic or fear when a child realises their primary caregiver has to leave them. This happens a lot at day nursery when children are first experiencing being away from their parents for an extended period of time.
At such a young age, children can’t comprehend why their parents are leaving, and will often have meltdowns. This might involve screaming, crying or clinging to parents in an attempt to make them stay. Naturally, this can be a very stressful experience for parents, and will make them feel guilty for leaving them behind.
However, the good news is that this often passes very quickly. Give it 5-10 minutes, and parents can usually peek through the nursery window and see their child playing happily - as if nothing happened. Children are very quick to adapt, and while it can feel challenging at the time, this is a fundamental part of their development.
Plus, it’s worth noting that the more time your children spend away from you, the more comfortable they’ll feel as they start to understand that you’ll always come back for them.
How Can Parents Help with Separation Anxiety?
Here are some simple tips that can make the process of easing separation anxiety easier on both children and parents.
● Practice makes perfect, so to get your child used to being away from you, try leaving them with another family member for short periods of time. As your child gets used to being separated from you, you can start leaving for longer periods of time.
● After naps or feeding time, schedule some time for separation. Babies are more likely to experience separation anxiety if they’re tired or hungry, so these are the perfect times to trial it at home.
● Always keep your goodbyes at the nursery as quick as possible and try to leave without fuss. Tell your child you’re leaving but will be back, and go. Making it a bigger deal will add to their anxiety and prolong the process.
● To build the confidence your child needs to manage separation, always make sure to return at the time you promised.
● As hard as it is, try to stay strong and don’t give in. Reassure your child that everything is fine and set consistent limits, as this will help them adjust to separation better.
Join Our Private Nursery
At Blue Nest Montessori School, we understand the struggles of separation anxiety for both children and parents, which is why our experienced, friendly team of carers are on hand to help ease the process of getting your child settled into nursery. If you’d like to know more about our day nurseries, or the application process, please get in touch with us at one of our locations.
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