Starting preschool can be a huge adjustment for both child and parent, so it is not unusual for separation anxiety to kick in. Suddenly your time spent together is cut shorter and becoming familiar with this new phase of life may take some time to get used to.
With technology becoming such an integral part of our everyday life, however, keeping track of your little one is easier than ever. You can find nursery management software readily available with updates and communication to keep you calm, while your child settles into preschool and this new chapter.
Although incredible technology like this exists to make the transition smoother, separation anxiety will still always be a byproduct of your child’s growth. In the following article, we are sharing tips on how to deal with it when the time comes.
Prepare Yourself And Your Child
Preparing for this new stage may seem a bit challenging but there are useful ways to do this. If the preschool allows it, take your child there a few times before they officially start. Seeing the environment a couple of times before you leave them there for a whole day can make the initial separation easier.
Just like adults, children are extremely aware of their surroundings, if not more. Without any familiarity the child can experience terrible anxiety and that won’t be a pleasant experience for either of you. Even if you visit the school only briefly, a quick introduction is better than none for your little one.
Practice Your Goodbyes
If this is the first time you are leaving your child, practising a goodbye will be worth it and prepare you both for what’s to come.
With practice goodbyes, you can make the periods between the departure and return longer and longer if you like. The important thing is to do this properly so that when the day comes, you and your child have been through it before and the shock isn’t as bad.
You also don’t need to practice extremely long goodbyes if that’s unnecessary. If you simply make it clear that there is a goodbye, a period of separation, and then a hello to enforce the promise that you will always be back, then the main idea will be understood.
Maintain A Positive Environment And Speak Openly About It
Regardless of whether your child fully understands what is happening or not, maintaining a happy environment at home and talking to them about what is happening will be important to the runup.
Age does not matter when it comes to noticing tension in the air. This is why it’s important to keep a positive mindset and fill your home with this kind of thinking. Additionally, speaking to your child about school and the adventure that is to come – whether or not they completely grasp it – will also be reassuring to the both of you.
One of the worst things to do is to slowly sneak away after the drop-off, before your child can notice. This will induce even worse separation anxiety as your child will have no reassurance of where you are and if you will ever return.
It is better to make sure that you say a goodbye to your little one, even though it will be difficult. Reassure them that you love them and will see them again at the end of the day when you fetch them. The reinforcement of your love and promise of returning will sink in and the more this happens, the easier drop off will become.
Starting preschool is a difficult stage for every parent and child. After having spent a lot of time together, being apart for much of the day takes a toll and requires getting used to.
If you make use of these tips and begin implementing them before school starts, you can rest assured that the process will be smoother and the transition period will go quicker. Any separation anxiety can be overcome in no time!
