Why Do Parents Cause Separation Anxiety?

Starting school can be fun and exciting for some children, but for others that have been in the care of their parents since birth can be very difficult. When a parent has been the sole caregiver for the child and that bond has to be broken to start school this can cause separation anxiety in that child. Separation anxiety is the fear of the unknown and bringing children to an environment that they have never been in before is unknown to them. As the educator we must have a plan in place to handle this situation because not only will the child have emotions so will the parent because this will be their first time away from the child. When the child starts to scream and cry and hang on to the parent this will cause them to feel guilt or helplessness.
Have the parent help the child put his things away and then read a book together or find a favorite toy the child likes and play with it together for a while. Ten minutes before the parent has to leave they can give the child a warning and say, “I have to leave in ten minutes” this way the child can be prepared when the parent get up to leave the classroom, but before they go tell the child I will be back to pick you up. Once the parent leaves the teacher can also reassure the child that their parents will be back for them. If the child get upset and do not want to interact with the other students have a quiet area where they can sit and play until they ready to be with the
They are an active part of their children’s learning experiences and help to ensure the welfare of all the children in the school. All families are members of the Family Team (childdiscoverycenter.org). Collaborating with parents through parent-conferences, newsletters, and telephone calls will help keep them informed on how their child is doing in school. Parents are very important to the education of the child and without their input and support the child may not be as successful as we would like them to be. I would encourage the parents to come in the classroom as often as they can so they can see what goes on daily with their child. When the school staff and the families have healthy positive relationships that will help the child strive. Healthy relationships between administrators, teachers and caregivers, and consultants used by the programs are important in establishing a caring, inclusive community in which children can develop and learning is maximized (NAEYC, 2005a,