We love our children and hate to see them suffer. When we deal with a child that suffers from separation anxiety, it can be hard on both the child and the parents. There are some ways you can help your child with their anxiety, however, and we want to help you find the right solution for both of you.
How Do I Help My Child Get Over Separation Anxiety?
Separation anxiety is more than just the simple act of crying or fussing when a parent leaves a child either at school or with a caretaker. It is the intense anxiety that a parent is not going to come back, that something terrible might happen to the parent or the child if they are apart, and the inability to function because of that anxiety and fear. It can be debilitating for a child and it can be incredibly heart-wrenching and stressful for a parent as well.
Though it may seem like there is no solution, there are some things that you can do to ease the anxiety for your child. One of the best things you can do is learn how to support a child when they are feeling that anxiety. Let the child know that you are there, that you feel that they are anxious and that their anxiety is valid and seen.
You also need to work to help them find a coping mechanism or a coping method that helps them to deescalate, helps them to come down from the stress, and helps them to deal with the feelings that they are struggling with. It may also help to create a routine that helps your child learn that even though you are leaving, you are coming back.
How to Ease Separation Anxiety in My Child
Create little routines that are predictable and that help your child understand that you have to leave, but that you are coming back. You can offer them a token or a small item that lets them know you are thinking of them, even when you are apart. The main thing to note with children that are dealing with separation anxiety is that it is necessary to validate their feelings and let them know that they are seen.
One of the worst things that you can do for a child that is suffering from anxiety is to act like their feelings do not matter or that they are overreacting. What seems like a very small thing to you can be life-altering to them. What you understand and can comprehend, they may have a hard time grasping. Most children grow out of the separation anxiety phase, most children will cry over a parent leaving for a time and then will eventually grow to realize that it is only temporary.
If you have a child that is dealing with intense anxiety, you may need to seek professional help and get the advice of a therapist to help them deal with the feelings that they are having.