Day Care Concerns Separation Anxiety

Day care issues of facility policy, additional charges and late fees, and visitation rules are important issues but none seem as relevant as the problem of separation anxiety. Few parents enjoy leaving their kid with a stranger for hours at a time, and though there are benefits to child care, it is barely on your mind when confronted with a kid having a temper tantrum as you’re trying to leave the daycare facility to head to work. So how can you alleviate this typically temporary situation? The solution lies within yourself to come up with creative and personalized ways to ease your child by means of one of the most difficult day care issues separation anxiety.

Not all children have day care issues such as separation anxiety. Some babies and children enjoy being around other children in a new environment, and take to daycare immediately. Those parents are the fortunate ones. But if you are going through any of the following situations at drop off time, you will find changes you can make to get through this time of transition (simply because it’ll pass). Do not mistake separation anxiety for misbehaving. Understanding your child’s fears is the first step.

Your kid knows you as the source of comfort in his life and even the smallest of children will encounter fear when seeing their mommy leave their surroundings and go away. What you say and how you say it can be understood by your child. If you have a child you are nursing, try to schedule time to nurse your baby right before you leave. Holding and comforting your baby in this way is a great way to make a connection, and talking to your baby assists to relax him. If you are feeling anxious about leaving your baby, he will most certainly sense this. If you have done your homework, and are confident in the environment in which you’re leaving him, let this come through in your voice. Your tone of voice will reassure him you’ll be back soon and that you love him.

Your toddler invariably begins his tantrum early, before you even leave the house for the daycare center. Day care issues can impact the home environment also but there are ways to get around this as well. Begin by being consistent. You’ve made up your mind to put your child in daycare, stay with the routine. Do not search for ways to skip days; it will not get your child through this transition period any smoother. Before bedtime, read storybooks that speak about daycare. Go to the library; the librarian can assist you to select books geared to your child’s age. At the very least, speak to your child during story time; explain to him where you will be going and that you will be back for him when you’re done working.

Day care issues like separation anxiety can last for up to 2 weeks or longer depending on your kid. If you feel he is exhibiting more serious reactions at drop off time than before or if he appears to be more upset or generally not your happy kid, maybe an unannounced visit to the facility is called for. If you drop in and look around, you can help yourself get a better picture of how your child’s day is going. Maybe he is unhappy because the environment is unhealthy for him, and this is the only way he can tell you. Then it would be time to change day care facilities.