First of all, separation anxiety is a perfectly normal behavior in children. It is a feeling of anxiousness and fear of being left alone. The child often deals with three feelings when a parent leaves him/her. The first is grief, the second is fear and the last feeling is a child can deal with is anger. This is a feeling not always recognized by adults.
What a child may do?
- Some children will show great emotion when left at school, while some might not show it until weeks later.
- The child may get more upset when the parent has trouble leaving the child.
- Some children may have a mild attach of separation anxiety.
What a parent can do?
- Introduce the child to the school on the first day.
- Have the child bring something from home that will make them feel safe.
- Most importantly recognize the child’s feelings.
What a teacher can do?
- Maintain regular contact with the parents
- Discuss the child’s feelings with the parents.
- Encourage the child to be verbal and express his/her feelings.
- Comfort the child.