As the new school year goes by, many parents might be struggling with the anxieties that their children may be facing. The last couple of years have been quite stressful as well, which does not help with separation anxiety. Here are some tips you can follow to help ease some of the separation anxiety your children may be facing when sent to school or child care.
Make a Goodbye Ritual
Some children might have a hard time being dropped off at school, so to counteract this, you should develop a goodbye ritual. A goodbye ritual is simply a habitual act that comforts your child. One fun way to do this is by creating a “secret handshake” right before they exit the car or get on the bus. This can help ease some of the stress the child has before going to school.
Be Social With Your Child About School
Try and talk with your child about what they see and do at school. Are there any lunches they like more than others? Are you enjoying a certain subject more than another one? Have you made any friends during recess? Putting some interest into their days at school can reaffirm their comfort with being dropped off and motivate them to focus on their day at school.
Don’t Stall When Leaving
This might be difficult to do, but when you drop your child off make sure to not stall. When you tell them you are leaving, you need to leave. Making your departure a larger deal than it needs to be can increase their anxieties.
Try to Make Leaving the House More Fun
Before leaving for school, try to entertain your child to settle any nerves they may have about going to school. Put some music on and laugh around to brighten their morning. Sending them off to school with a happy and positive attitude can prevent a meltdown from occurring at drop-off.
