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Helping Your Child Cope With Separation Anxiety At Daycare

Is there anything worse than a child's melt down? The tears, the screams, the clinging to the parents leg, and is there any worse place to have this scene occur than at the daycare classroom door, each morning. I have been a daycare teacher for around seven years, and I have seen this many times, but there are a few things that parents can do to help their kids cope with separation anxiety at daycare.

Before You Get To The Daycare
Dealing with the separation anxiety starts before you and your child get to the classroom door. Either before you leave the house, or while you are in the car remind kids that you are going to the daycare, and that you will have to leave, but you will be back later. If your child starts to cry or whine, reassure them again , and you might also want to give them something to "hold" for you, and tell them that you will have come back for it later. Or have them take something with them, that reminds them of home, for example I have seen a few little kids come to daycares with their moms slips, or their favorite blanket. Just do whatever you can to help them through it.

At The Daycare's Class Room Door
I have seen a lot of parents leave their kids at daycare, during my years as daycare teacher. All of them have different styles of saying goodbye. Some do the drop, and run, where they hand you their child, and their stuff, say goodbye, and then leave. But others are hangers on, they hang around talking to their kids, and then staying in the classroom, until their kids come back over, and start clinging to them again. I have had parents say " I know how daycare works, so I'm just going to leave", and others who say " she just won't let anyone else hold her". Both of these styles are okay, but one is much easier on both the child, and the parent, not to mention the daycare teacher. That would be the first one, where you arrive at the classroom ready to say goodbye. I'm not saying shove the kids in and run, but please try to strike a happy medium.

After You Leave The Daycare
Be sure that you tell your child how proud you are, of how they did that day. Reassure that they will be able to do the same the next time, that you have to leave them at daycare. Sooner or later, it will be easier, and your kids will be able to walk into daycare with no trouble at all.

I hope that this article helps you deal with separation anxiety, both on yours or your child's part. Why don't you let us know what has worked for you?

Learn more about this author, Helen Heard.
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