Separation Anxiety

[oceanchild]

My son will be 2 next week. He's gone to the same daycare since he was 4 months old. There's been some teacher turnover, but the one who's there in the morning has been the same for like the last 10 months.

In the last couple months he's taken to clinging to our legs, crying, saying "I don't want to go to school!", and various other things that seem clearly designed to break our hearts. Same for my husband and me.

He also does this at the church nursery and when he's left with his aunts and uncles (but not grandparents), although these happen far less frequently. He goes to daycare five days a week.

Just a phase? (If so, please tell me it isn't a long one.) Should I be worried something is wrong? Should we do something differently when leaving him? Tips appreciated.

[alotofyarn]

I suspect it's a phase - E has been doing this recently too, and it's rough.

[oceanchild]

I should also say, his teachers tell us he recovers very quickly, doesn't cry for more than a couple minutes. And he also likes to put up a fight about *leaving* daycare at the end of the day, so I don't think he's unhappy there.

[Pollyanna]

It's a phase that likely won't last too long. Lots of development going on as these little kiddos move into their twos. You may see regression in other areas as well but those will pass as well. Keep with a loving and confident drop off, don't linger or talk about the clinginess. Hang in there.

[gem]

With both my children, separation anxiety has ebbed and flowed in phases for years. Sometimes I can figure out why, and sometimes I can't. It helps me (and I think my kids too) to have a little goodbye ritual. My 2-year-old does 1-2-3- blast off into a teacher's arms. My 4-year-old and I do a secret handshake. Rocky drop offs are the worst! I'm sorry!

[oceanchild]

[MENTION=4914]gem[/MENTION], we tried the 1-2-3 blastoff thing, and it has been working really well. So thank you for that!

Now we're going on vacation for two weeks and will have to start over again, I'm sure, but hopefully he'll remember it.

[gem]

Oh yay! Glad something's helping!