Lots of children don’t really enjoy school, but for some primary school children this can be caused by the stress and anxiety of being separated from their parents.
There’s always at least one or two children in every class that suffer from separation anxiety and it can be very distressing for parents, children and teachers.
Primary school children who often get distressed when being left at school can be considered as having separation anxiety disorder. This sounds serious but the reality is, the child will get better over time, usually with the odd relapse here and there.
It’s perfectly normal for your young child to feel nervous when it’s time to say goodbye. Although difficult, it’s a natural stage of development. You need to be understanding, patient and use coping strategies and it will fade as your child gets older and more independent.
There’s lots of advice about how to deal with it but the main thing is to be understanding towards your child.
Try these tips to stop the crying at the school-gates:
There’s always at least one or two children in every class that suffer from separation anxiety and it can be very distressing for parents, children and teachers.
Primary school children who often get distressed when being left at school can be considered as having separation anxiety disorder. This sounds serious but the reality is, the child will get better over time, usually with the odd relapse here and there.
It’s perfectly normal for your young child to feel nervous when it’s time to say goodbye. Although difficult, it’s a natural stage of development. You need to be understanding, patient and use coping strategies and it will fade as your child gets older and more independent.
There’s lots of advice about how to deal with it but the main thing is to be understanding towards your child.
Try these tips to stop the crying at the school-gates:
- Explain before you leave her so she is fully aware of what is going to happen. Tell her when you will be back and where you will pick her up.
- Speak to your child’s class teacher as she will be left with your crying child.
- Don’t prolong the goodbyes.
- Never sneak away-its best she knows that you have left.
- Try to look relaxed with a happy or calm facial expression.
It’s worth remembering that for some children, the crying and howling at the school gates can last for weeks and can start again after school holidays for a number of days.
Separation anxiety disorder is not normally a stage of development, but is rather a problem characterised by extreme distress when a child is away from their parent.
Separation anxiety disorder canstop kids from performing normal daily activities. Children with this disorder may:
• Refuse to go to school.
• Display reluctance to go to sleep.
• Complain of feeling physically sick like a headache or stomach-ache.
• Cling to the caregiver.
While in most cases separation anxiety will simply fade as children get used to school life, if you feel that your child needs some help dealing with her anxiety, it may be a good idea to speak to your GP who will refer you to a child psychologist if needed.
