Do you agonize over every time you need to head to work, waiting for the inevitable meltdown as your kiddo’s separation anxiety is building? We have a simple tip for you that will make leaving the house without your kids a tear-free affair!
Young children have a developing experience of the passage of time and abstract concepts like returning later. As such, they are often unable to fathom what “be back in an hour” is, leaving them wondering whether that’s before they finish their current activity or never again!
You can sooth your kid’s fears by making sure to set aside ten minutes before you leave and when you return to give them the attention and reassurance they need to cope. This time is PHONE FREE, not watching a show, and not directed by you. This is time for your kid to come up with the activity they’d like to do with you.
This focused time together reinforces to your kid that you love, care, and think about them and fills their attention bucket enough to sustain them while you are gone. When you return, do the same thing… they are the start of those first ten minutes so they can tell you about what you missed while you were away, share further thoughts they had on the activity you shared before you launched, etc.
The difference ten minutes makes in helping raise confident children (and sane parents!) is amazing… you’ve got this, parent!
