Leaving Your Child at the Door
Leaving your child at the door of their class doesn't have to be stressful ordeal for either of you. Most children experience separation anxiety during their early preschool years. It's a normal step in your child's emotional development. Take hope, there are measures you can take in order to help your baby, toddler, or preschooler have a happy start to his or her day at school.
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| Setting a Happy Tone Before Arrival at the Classroom
- Make the morning less stressful. Preschoolers can sense your stress. Set out your child's clothes the night before. Label all of your child's belongings and pack diapers and a change of clothes in their diaper bag.
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Feed your child before you leave. Separation is more difficult when a chold is hungry.
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Sing a song about school, church, or Jesus while dressing your child. Make up words to a song, using a familiar tune. You might sing these words: "We are getting dressed for school, dressed for school, dressed for school. We are getting dressed for school. We like to go to school." (Tune: "Mary Had A Little Lamb.") Talk about your child's friends in her room while traveling to school.
| When You Arrive at Your Child's Room
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Arrive on time. A timely arrival helps your child adjust to the schedule and routine.
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If the door is closed, knock and wait for a teacher to open the door. The door of the room may be closed so that noise and people in the hallway do not distract preschoolers from learning.
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Encourage a child who is walking to walk to the door and into the room. It is easier for your child to separate from you if he/she is not in your arms.
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Notify teachers of any changes in your child's routine. One teacher may take your child while another teacher talks to you and records schedule changes or any concerns.
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Follow the security procedures outlined in your parent handbook. You will be required to fill out a sign-in sheet. To ensure that your child is released to an authorized adult, you will be given an ID card.
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Interest your child in the teaching item the teacher brings to the door. A teacher may bring a book, nature item, picture, or a toy to the door to help ease the transition into the room.
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What to Do If Your Child Cries At the Door
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Tell your child good-bye.
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Reassure your child that Mommy and Daddy will be back later, and then leave. Prolonged separations make it more difficult for your child to adjust.
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Avoid going back to check on them. If your child sees you, it may upset him and the tears will start to flow all over again.
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Know that your child's teacher will contact you if she is unable to comfort your preschooler after a reasonable amount of time.
What to Do When You Return
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Help your child know they are more important to you than anything else at the moment they see you at the door.
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Tell them how excited you are to see them.
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Show interest and ask questions about the day.
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Leave the cell phone in the car
| Don't be alarmed if you have tried these sugestions and your child still cries at the door. Separation anxiety can be a brief period in your child's development or it may last months. Regular attendance at school does help your baby, toddler, or preschooler overcome this anxious stage. Promptly picking up your child after school reassures them that you will come in a timely manner. Your child's teachers pray that your child will have a happy time at school. As teachers share Jesus' love with your child, they will come to realize that school is indeed a loving, happy place.
| This pamplet is adopted from "Leaving Your Child at the Door" in Early Bible Steps, Fall 2001
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