Day care issues of facility policy, additional charges and late fees, and visitation rules are important issues but none seem as pertinent as the problem of separation anxiety. Few parents enjoy leaving their child with a stranger for hours at a time, and though there are benefits to child care it is hardly on your mind when faced with a child having a temper tantrum as you are trying to leave the daycare facility to head to work. So how can you ease this often temporary situation The solution lies within yourself to come up with creative and personalized ways to ease your child through 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 right away. Those parents are the lucky ones. But if you are experiencing any of the following situations at drop off time, there are changes you can make to get through this time of transition (because it will pass). Don't mistake separation anxiety for misbehaving. Understanding your child's fears is the first step.
Your child knows you as the source of comfort in his life and even the smallest of children will experience 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 baby you are nursing, try to schedule time to nurse your baby right before you leave. Holding and comforting your baby this way is a great way to make a connection, and talking to your baby helps to relax him. If you are feeling anxious about leaving your baby, he will most definitely sense this. If you have done your homework, and are confident in the environment in which you are 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 starts his tantrum early, before you even leave the house for the daycare center. Day care issues can impact the home environment as well but there are ways to get around this too. Start by being consistent. You have made up your mind to put your child in daycare, stick to the routine. Don't look for ways to skip days; it won't get your child through this transition period any smoother. Before bedtime, read storybooks that talk about daycare. Go to the library; the librarian can help you choose books geared to your child's age. At the very least, talk to your child during story time; explain to him where you will be going and that you will be back for him when you are done working.
Day care issues such as separation anxiety can last for up to two weeks or longer depending on your child. If you feel he is he exhibiting more serious reactions at drop off time than previously or if he seems to be more upset or generally not your happy child, 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.
It is natural for human beings to dislike the notion of being separated from someone they care about, or feel connected to in some way. The idea of no longer having significant contact, particularly physical contact, with someone that has become a ?part of our life,? as some might say, often results in some unpleasant emotional reactions.
This negative emotional response prompts us to attempt to avoid such thoughts and possibilities whenever we can, as a means of preventing or escaping the associated discomfort. However, for some people, the idea of losing someone they care about takes on the form of a near-constant obsession. This condition, known as separation anxiety, is a complex psychological matter.
People who have separation anxiety still feel the usual dislike and discomfort when considering the potential loss. There is still a general sense of sorrow and bereavement when the possibility is brought up, and it is still considered to be a negative event. However, separation anxiety has patients virtually obsessing over that distinct and unpleasant facet of life.
The condition is characterized by behavior that may or may not be considered odd by the untrained observer. It often includes constant worry and anxiety over the possibility of losing an important person, typically a mother or father figure. Some argue that separation anxiety is a sign of excessive dependence on the physical presence of an individual, as a means of reassuring the patient of their own stability. Emotional distress during a period of separation is the most common sign, with a sudden lifting of the patient's mood once the object of their focus is once again nearby. Another common sign is the patient showing more physical cues that are similar to withdrawal from narcotics or alcohol whenever the target is not present.
People suffering from separation anxiety have a tendency to turn inwards when separated, letting the disorder have an adverse effect on their emotional condition. Cases have been reported where patients exhibit sudden signs of partial social withdrawal, or a sudden drop in one's ability to interact socially during the separation period. In some instances, it may also have a physical effect, with movements being sluggish and the body having languid, lifeless movements. It is not only during periods of separation that symptoms are exhibited, however. According to recent findings, separation anxiety also manifests itself as an inability to sleep without the presence of the target person or object.
A patient that has separation anxiety is often also diagnosed with various other disorders, such as ADHD and bipolar disorder. Bipolar personalities have been shown to have a statistically high number of patients who also have separation anxiety, with the shifts between manic and depressive behavior being linked to the presence of a certain figure or object.
In rare cases, dissociative identity disorder also stems from separation anxiety. This occurs when the brain gradually develops alternate personalities that are more capable of handling the separation than the actual persona. This is a rare instance, however, as DID sufferers generally develop the second personality to adapt to a specific childhood trauma, such as sexual abuse.
According to some unconfirmed reports, there is a small percentage of stalkers who have separation anxiety. Supposedly, this occurs because the obsession with keeping the person close by has started to form a compulsion to prevent any form of prolonged separation. In essence, the person has become obsessed with staying close to an individual whenever possible, and has taken measures to minimize, if not outright eliminate, the chances of the two being disconnected.
Both Jillian Smith & Alex Ellorde are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Jillian Smith has sinced written about articles on various topics from Breastfeeding, Family and Motorola Cell Phone. Information on can be found at the. Jillian Smith's top article generates over 90500 views. to your Favourites.