Coping with Back to School Separation Anxiety
National Educational Child Care Provider Helps Parents and Their Young Children Feel Confident Heading Back to the Classroom
ABINGDON, Md. (Aug. 27, 2018)—It’s back to school season–when shopping for cool gear becomes a priority and prepping to meet teachers and making new friends becomes the norm. It is also time to anticipate a few rough mornings, when parents and young children have a hard time saying goodbye. In an effort to help both children and parents cope with separation anxiety during this time of year, Kiddie Academy®, a leading national provider of educational child care for over 37 years, is offering several tips to ensure children feel excited at the prospect of heading to the classroom.
“Back to school jitters, including separation anxiety, are natural and expected feelings. The transition to time away from home can be stressful not only for little ones but for the whole family,” said Kiddie Academy Vice President of Education, Richard Peterson. “It’s essential for parents to respond to these worries in a way that will set children up for success for the back-to-school season and beyond.”
Try these useful tips to ease the separation anxiety that comes along with a new school year:
Create a routine and stick to it—Routines offer a number of benefits to children, such as safety, belonging and responsibility. They also help to create healthy habits. In the days leading up to school, implement a bedtime and wake-up time to get your little ones in a good groove. Create a morning routine that your children can count on—such as enjoying breakfast before getting dressed, then brushing their teeth and giving pets or a favorite stuffed animal one last hug goodbye. Let them know ahead of time they will always need to be ready to leave around the same time each day.
Take a practice run—Once your school routine is mapped out, take it for a few practice runs. Go through the motions of a typical weekday morning: the early wake up call, sitting at the table for breakfast together, getting dressed, brushing teeth and hair and heading out the door. Drive to school and hop out to explore a bit. Taking the time to explain this process upfront to your child will prepare them for what to expect and also build excitement to start school and make new friends!
Find a few familiar faces—Get to know a handful of children that will be in the same class as your child and set up a few playdates before the school year starts. Not only will this get them excited to see friends at school, it’s also an added layer of comfort in a new place.
Make up a brief goodbye ritual—Long, strung out goodbyes don’t benefit parents or children. In fact, they can make separation anxiety increase and turn up the waterworks. Instead, create a unique way for you and your child to say goodbye each morning (for example, “Bye-bye, butterfly,” “Out the door, dinosaur!” or a big, roaring bear hug). Remind them you’ll see each other after school and walk away, trusting the teachers will take it from there.
These valuable tactics, matched with parents’ special touches, will help to create a sense of comfort and confidence, as well as calm any related anxieties, as young children head back to school.
For more information on Kiddie Academy, please visit kiddieacademy.com.
About Kiddie Academy®
Since its inception, Kiddie Academy® has been a leader in educational child care. The company serves families and their children ages 6 weeks to 12 years old, offering full-time care, before-and after-school care, and summer camp programs. Kiddie Academy’s proprietary Life Essentials® curriculum, supporting programs, methods, activities, and techniques help prepare children for life. Kiddie Academy has received corporate accreditation from the globally recognized AdvancED accreditation system, signifying its commitment to quality education and the highest standards in child care. For more information, visit kiddieacademy.com or find Kiddie Academy on Facebook at Facebook.com/KiddieAcademy.
About Kiddie Academy® Franchising
Kiddie Academy Domestic Franchising is based in Maryland and operates 208 academies in 27 states, including the District of Columbia. With 40 academies expected to open in 2018, Kiddie Academy’s network will grow to more than 240 open and operating locations this year. For more information, visit kiddieacademyfranchising.com.
