Dealing with Separation Anxiety in Toddlers

It is normal for every kid to feel anxious when they leave their parents for the first time. Crying, clinginess and throwing tantrums are healthy reactions to separation in early childhood and are a normal stage of development. The timing of separation anxiety varies from child to child. However, normally it begins when a child turns 8 months and lasts up to 4 years of age. 

The Kaintal Prep School, an ICSE prep school in Patiala provides you with some ways to deal with separation anxiety in toddlers:

Practice Separation

Once your child is a year old, start leaving them with caretaker or grandparents. Initially, leave them for short time periods and distances. Once your child gets comfortable with them, you can try leaving them for a longer time span and distance.

Keep Their Needs in Mind

Your child is likely to get more cranky and anxious when it is their sleeping or feeding time. Make sure that your child is well-fed and isn’t tired when you leave them.

The Good-Bye Ritual

Develop a ritual of goodbye when you leave them, it could be a wave or even a goodbye kiss. Goodbyes reassure your child that you will be back in some time. Keep goodbyes as simple as you can.

Keep Your Promise

When you leave your child with a promise to return in an hour, he expects you to fulfil that promise. When you don’t fulfil your promise, this creates more anxiety when you leave them alone next time.

Do Not Change Caretaker Often

Try to be consistent with the caretaker you appoint for them. When you keep on changing the caretakers, it makes it difficult for your child to adjust and brings inconsistency to their life.

A certain amount of anxiety on being separated is normal for every child. However, if it doesn’t go away even after putting the best efforts, it could be separation anxiety disorder which is a serious emotional problem and can only be treated with professional help.