July 12, 2022

Separation Anxiety (and How to Help Your Kids Cope)

Separation Anxiety (and How to Help Your Kids Cope)

It's natural for kids to cling to their parents and caretakers - and both parents and children can experience separation anxiety when it’s time to go to work or daycare. In this episode we're talking about how to cope when it's time to separate.

Our child has finally realized they are separate from us. Yay! Aaaaaand cue the separation anxiety. The fact that separation anxiety signals growth in kids doesn't make it any easier for mother or child. But there are coping strategies on both sides that can ease some of the pain.

In this episode, Molly and Blaire discuss:

  • What separation anxiety looks like in different ages (and in moms)
  • The tend-and-befriend theory
  • How to tell normal separation anxiety from a disorder


Links to resources mentioned in the episode:

Wendy Sue Swanson for healthychildren.org: "How to Ease Your Child’s Separation Anxiety"

Scott Edwards and Emily Rizzitano for Boston Children's Hospital: "Helping your child cope with separation anxiety"

Ashurina Ream for Psyched Mommy: "7 Tips to Manage Maternal Separation Anxiety"

"Grownups Come Back" a song about separation anxiety from Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood on PBS Kids


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