The elementary school bells will ring today for the first time for the new school season and not a few parents will see off their little angels for the first time. This fact is completely reasonable and separation anxiety is something that all parents experience.
First of all, we have to admit that the first time a parent leaves his child at school is one of the most difficult, both for him and for his child. The stress goes both ways from both the parent and the child and that's totally understandable. After all, the first day at school is a milestone in the child's life but also a day of emotional loading and for this reason, quite a few children cry, get angry and possibly refuse to go to school due to fear and anxiety.
Speaking in the past to APE-MPE, the psychologist-psychotherapist, Anna Kalymniou emphasized that "This emotional state is connected to what we call "separation anxiety", which manifests itself from the first times when the child is asked to separate from his parent". But how can we manage this situation?
A smooth adjustment to school starts with the parents
Never for a moment should we forget that the smooth adjustment of a child starts with the parents, so no matter how stressed and scared we feel, we should not pass it on to the child. As Anna Kalymniou reports, it is good for the child to receive confidence and optimism from the parents for this important step in their development. The child's attention is directed to his parents to make sure he will be safe in his new environment and that they have confidence in his ability to adapt to it. The child receives this assurance not only from the words spoken by the parent but much more from the non-verbal messages emitted by his inner attitude. Therefore, the smooth adaptation of the child to school starts with the parents and with the feelings they have for this new step of the child. It is therefore helpful for parents to recognize their own feelings and to focus and convince themselves of the positive aspects of this new experience for the child".
What you should pay attention to when preparing the child
Remember that every child adapts differently
Mrs. Kalymniou emphasizes that each child reacts and adapts in a different way and time to the new reality. "The child's adjustment depends on factors such as previous experiences of separation, his temperament and maturity, his preparation for school, as well as the feelings and attitudes of the parents about the fact that their child starts school. So, for a longer or shorter period of time, some children may cry, others may have difficulty sleeping, become aggressive or depressed, show changes in their eating habits or revert to behaviors they had at younger ages. All these reactions are normal during the period of adaptation and will gradually subside if the child experiences a pleasant, stable and predictable program every day that creates a sense of security and safety," she explains.
How to deal with your own stress
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