The first day of school is upon is and with this comes a time of separation for children and parents. Here are some tips for handling this time:
- Visit the preschool ahead of time. We have an open yard at LCP, where you can come by one the weekends as a family and have a visit.
- Talk about how you will be back soon. We sing a song, Mommy comes back, Daddy comes back, your nanny comes back and we all come back.
- Keep the drop off routine consistent: No Changes: Children need routine and for transitions to be handled in the same way: this builds trust and security
- Check out your own emotions. Children will look to you as their emotional barometer. If you can be strong, they can be strong. Be sad away from their view, as it is confusing when you ask them to be happy about preschool and you appear sad.
- Be sure to communicate your concerns with the preschool director. Find out how they handle separation, how are the children comforted, and ask for feedback as to how your child doing each day at preschool.
Separation Sadness is normal, healthy and in no way an indicator of future success. Be compassionate to yourself if you are sad, and know that this is just another piece of the parenting journey.