Help Your Kid Cope With Separation Anxiety

By the time your baby is aged eight months and up, you may
notice that she is like a character straight out of the story of
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. One moment she is the affectionate,
outgoing and full of smiles Miss Wonderful in your home, and
another moment, she is Terry terrible who's anxious, clingy,
cranky and easily scared when around things and people that are
unfamiliar or new.

Don't be dismayed. This definitely does not mean that your kid
will develop multiple personalities. It's just that she has
developed a skill that enables her to distinguish familiar from
unfamiliar situations.

Anxiety around strangers and when she does not see you is a
normal milestone for babies around this age and should never be
a cause for worry. While she has become a little too clingy and
wails when you leave her or when someone she's not familiar with
approaches her, there are ways you can do to help her cope with
separation anxiety.

First tip: Don't leave your baby who's not yet napped or who's
hungry. A baby is more vulnerable to separation anxiety when
she's hungry and tired. If you plan to go out, be sure she's
taken her nap and is full.

Second tip: Play peek-a-boo with your kid to teach her about
object permanence. This means that when Mommy or Daddy went
away, they're not gone and will still come back. Do a variation
of this game by playing peek-a-boo with her toys. Try hiding her
Baby Einstein Puppet under a pillow or behind the couch and
surprise your kid by making it reappear with a cheery shout of
peek-a-boo! This will teach your kid that objects still exist
even if they are out of our sight and that when Mommy or Daddy
goes out, there's nothing for baby to be scared about because
they'll return.

Third tip: Practice short sessions of separation at home. For
example, leave your baby alone in a child-proof room with a
couple of safe toys for a few minutes. If she cries, don't
hastily come back to comfort her. Let her comfort herself for a
while and then come back when she's calmed down. If you
immediately rush to her side at her first cry, she will get the
idea that that is the way to call on you. When she sees that
being alone is not so bad after all, she will be able to cope
with separation anxiety more easily.

Fourth tip: When you leave, don't try to escape through the
back door. Be honest to your kid by telling her that you'll be
gone for a few hours and say goodbye. Always reassure your kid
that you'll be back by showering her with lots of hugs and
kisses. If you constantly disappear suddenly, this will only do
more harm than good and cause more anxiety on her. However, if
she learns to trust and be confident that you'll be back, she
won't have a hard time with you leaving.

Fifth tip: Protect her from strangers. If you're kid is anxious
about a stranger pinching her cheek, admiring how cute she is,
thank the person for the compliment but also politely tell her
that your kid is uncomfortable around strangers.

Even though a child's world may seem so carefree with no
problems and only play and games to work on, a kid also goes
through some hard times. Because they're helpless and only
depend on their parents, they have this fear of losing that
comfortable shoulder to rely on. That's why it is important that
you help your kid overcome separation anxiety.

About The Author: For more tips and information about Baby
Einstein Puppets, check out http://www.thekidstoystore.com.