FollowHow to Deal with Separation Anxiety in Toddlers
In toddlers, separation anxiety occurs when your child cries like they will never see you again, clings to you for dear life and creates a big scene whenever you walk out of sight. If you are the parent of a toddler who doesn’t have this problem, you are one of the lucky ones. Separation anxiety is quite common in toddlers. This is the age where they are becoming more independent and more mobile yet they don’t like being separated from the ones that they feel the safest with. The good news is that there are some things you can do to deal with separation anxiety in your toddler.
Don’t just sneak out and leave- While sneaking out when your child has their back turn may save you the hurt of seeing them cry, it can actually make their separation anxiety worse. Your toddler will think that you will just disappear at any time without notice and they will never want to let you out of their sight. Instead, create a cute little goodbye ritual when you leave. You can do something like them giving you three kisses on the cheek and you giving them three back or having a cute little saying like “See you later alligator”.
Be consistent with their routine- This means you want to try and drop them off and pick them up around the same time each day and with the same ritual. Having a routine like this can help to lessen their heartbreak that you are leaving and they will also learn to build trust in you as well as their own independence.
Stay happy and upbeat- When you drop your toddler off at daycare or the babysitter, stay upbeat. Talk to him about the fun things they will be doing with the other kids. If you let your nervousness or stress show, your tot will be sure to pick up on it. Even if they are throwing a tantrum, stay positive and stay calm.
Start with short separations first- Start slowly by going behind a door and then appearing again. Then do the same thing by going into another room in the house. Then gradually start by leaving them alone with the sitter for 30 minutes, then an hour, and so on. By doing this in gradual steps, your child will learn the concept that when you leave, you always come back.
