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Does Your Child Suffer from Separation Anxiety? – 4 Ways to Prevent a Meltdown

4 Ways to Prevent a Meltdown

Separation anxiety can be hard for both a child and a parent. Seeing your child break down every time you have to leave them is heartbreaking. And it can cause you to feel guilty or even frustrated, not knowing how to prevent a meltdown.

The cause of separation anxiety can be a variety of things. For example, a change in the environment, like moving to a new home or school, can trigger it. Any time a child feels unsafe or not secure without you, it could lead to symptoms of separation anxiety.

So, what can you do to help your child get through it? Can the meltdowns that happen when you leave be avoided?

With time and effort, yes, they can.

Let’s look at a few ways to prevent a meltdown.

1. Create a Quick “Goodbye” Ritual

Rituals and routines can be comforting to babies and young children. An action that is done over and over again lets them know it’ll be the same every time. So, your “goodbye” ritual means that, eventually, you’ll come back to get them.

It’s also important to say goodbye relatively quickly and without making a big deal over it. It can be tempting to linger, give them one more hug or kiss, etc. By reducing the amount of fanfare you give your farewell, it will make it easier for both of you.

2. Start Small

For some children, you may have to do “practice runs” when it comes to leaving them with someone new. If you have a new caregiver or your child is going to a new school, practice what things will be like ahead of time.

Try leaving them with that individual for a few minutes one day, and then a few minutes more the next. Gradually, you can go for more extended periods or travel further away from the location.

Once your child starts to see that they’re safe with that particular caregiver, it’s easier to prevent a meltdown when you leave in the future.

3. Be Consistent

If at all possible, keep your child’s surroundings the same. If you regularly have a caregiver for your child, it can be better for them to come to your house, rather than have your child go to their place. And if your child has to go to a daycare or school, allow them to bring one thing from home to make them feel comfortable.

It’s also better if the primary caregiver for your child is consistently the same person. Switching out babysitters every week won’t help with your child’s anxiety. Having as much consistency as possible when it comes to time spent in someone else’s care will help to ease their worries.

4. Keep Your Promises

Did you tell your child you would be back to pick them up at 5 pm? Then, that’s exactly when you need to be there. Don’t be late just because you think your child can handle it.

They’ll start to build confidence over time that they’ll be okay with you away. But you can easily break that confidence if you break a promise to them.

By following through on your commitments to pick them up at a specific time, you’re reassuring them even more that they can not only handle being away from you but also that everything will go back to normal at the end of the day.

Remember, It’s Not Forever

It can be tempting to give in to your child when they’re having a meltdown, but the best thing you can do is to reassure them everything will be okay. Giving in will only make things harder in the long run. For some more helpful hints, check out Family Education.

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If your child is struggling with separation anxiety, try the solutions above to make leaving times easier for you both. If nothing seems to be helping, though, please feel free to contact me or visit my page on children and grief counseling to learn more.

Together, we can work on figuring out the underlying cause for your child’s separation anxiety and find different ways of dealing with it.

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Struggling to Teach Children About Death? – How to Answer Their Big Questions

It’s important to teach children about death as it is a part of life. Yet, it can also be a difficult subject to tackle.

Whether they’ve recently lost someone important in their lives, or they just have questions about the concept, having the “right” answers can make a big difference.

As parents, we want to keep our children safe from as much as we can. But it’s vital to teach children about death. Children and grief do go together, even as much as we dislike that combination.

As mentioned, death is a part of life. Teaching your kids that concept as soon as they’re able to understand it will make it easier for them to cope.

Many times, we don’t teach children about death because we aren’t sure what to say or how to answer their questions. So, here are some tools you can use to make the process easier and more effective.

Use Age-Appropriate Language and Techniques

To teach children about death appropriately, it’s important to use language and ideas they understand. In other words, you wouldn’t talk to a preschooler about death the same way you would with your ten-year-old.

Younger children do well with examples. Explaining death as a concept might be too complex for younger minds, but telling your young child that someone has lost their ability to feel, think, move, or play can be easier for them to understand.

By the time your child reaches age five, they may be more curious about death. Especially if someone close to them has recently passed away.

This is a great opportunity to listen to their questions and find out what they’re really struggling with when it comes to the concept of dying.

Don’t waver in your answers. Instead, be repetitive. The more you assure your children of these concepts, the easier it will be for them to understand.

One of the most important things to tell kids of any age is that death is a natural process.

Many times, the first experience that a child will have is a pet dying, or maybe an older relative. To help them move through their grief, answer questions in ways they can comprehend.

Accept Your Child’s Expression of Grief

Young children may grieve differently than adults. They need time to process the concept of death. Additionally, they may need extra time to come to terms with the fact that whoever died is not returning.

When children mourn, they might start to act out with anger or confusion. This is usually because they’re scared. Assure your child that they are safe and loved, offering comfort through security.

Furthermore, patience is key when it comes to dealing with your child’s grief.

They may continue to ask questions throughout the mourning process. To keep talking about death may be highly uncomfortable for you during this time. However, it’s essential to encourage honesty and openness in your child. Doing so will make them feel more comfortable, having a stronger grasp on dying.

Know Your Resources

Death is often unpredictable. However, if you’re worried that your family will be dealing with the death of a loved one soon, please contact me.

I’m happy to offer additional guidance you can use when it comes to helping your child work through their grief. Also, if your family has already experienced a recent death and your child is struggling, I am also available to provide guidance and support.

Please visit here to learn more about how I can help you and your child understand death and dying.