Search Results for: blog parents get separation anxiety too

Back to School Anxiety & Emotions

Do a Google search on this topic and you’re likely to come across a ton of news stories, blogs, opinions, etc. I thought I better throw my hat into the ring, so my readers would not be left out. The person quoted the most on these various sites is Samuel Gladding, who is a professor at Wake Forest University. He offers 6 tips for helping with back to school anxiety and is summarized by Bradenton.com. The fact that these articles keep popping up on my alerts daily was funny to me, as I think I have more anxiety than my … Continue reading →

Separation Anxiety at Four?

It was the fall of my daughter’s second preschool year. We were all set. We knew what we were doing. We knew the teachers and we loved them too. Aside from some small initial anxiety, at three years old my daughter had sailed into the classroom with excitement, happy to be playing with other children and joyful to see her beloved teacher. It was all good, simply the beginning of another school year. And yet it was not. For three months at the beginning of her second year of preschool, my daughter did not want to go. She loved her … Continue reading →

The Anxiety of Growing Up

It can be tempting to think of childhood and the growing up years as being one nonstop romp for our kids. It can also be tempting to imagine that the parent is the one who is anxious and stressed and sad to see that little one grow into adult. The fact is, however, that growing up can be anxiety-producing for kids too. I know firsthand that during some of those major developmental leaps and, especially now that my kids are on the eve of adulthood, there can be a great deal of emotion and anxiety on their part associated with … Continue reading →

Diary of a Cat Care B&B: Sympathy with Pet Parents

Early last month, when I had my interview with the cats only boarding facility, one of the things they mentioned they were looking for was sympathy. Compassion. Not only for cats in all different states of mind, but for the owners, too. Often, the owners are dropping off their babies for the very first time. These pets have never been away from home, maybe never spent a night without someone from their human family. Part of my job is reassuring the human family that their feline friend will be safe and loved and attended to. And I can sympathize. Remember … Continue reading →

Parents Get Separation Anxiety Too

Attachment and Separation are one of the ongoing struggles of the parent-child relationship. I am of the opinion it is one of the most intense, amazing, joyful and painful relationship bonds and attachment/detachment dances we are called upon to do in our entire lives. We often talk about young children experiencing “separation anxiety” when they are forced to be apart from their parents. But, I think that we parents experience plenty of separation anxiety too. I remember that I was one of those first-time parents who were completely surprised by the overwhelming strength of my attachment to my eldest daughter … Continue reading →

Where’s “IT” at? Keeping your Child’s Anxiety Out of the Bag and on the Chain.

If you’ve ever had to enter into hand-to-hand combat with the witch under the bed or the bearded baddie at the window, then you already know that children’s anxiety can be disturbingly real to them. Just like adults, children can also suffer from free-floating and generalized anxiety or panic attacks. One in nine children are affected to the extent that it constipates their daily functioning and our nightly sleep. The witch or monster doesn’t just appear every now and then as part of normal chronological or problem solving development, they rarely leave and they will taunt the child at any … Continue reading →

Separation Anxiety: Lily

In a multi-dog family, you may see some very interesting relationships. My brother’s dogs, Kuma and Lily Biscuits, have a very close bond. Kuma is definitely the Boss Dog in the house. With just a look, she can send Lily running. Whatever Lily has, Kuma can pretty much take without consequences. But without Kuma around, Lily is pretty much lost. On Tuesday, Kuma spent the day at the veterinarian’s for some minor surgery. Lily was a wreck. She wouldn’t take a rawhide — normally her favorite treat! She sat on the couch, looking out the window most of the day, … Continue reading →

Back-to-School: Keeping Kids on Track

We’ve just hit the midpoint of summer vacation, though you’d never know it by strolling through Wal-Mart or Target. The popular discount retailers have their back-to-school displays front and center, reminding parents that they have yet another financial obligation looming. Personally, I am trying to ignore the stacks of new pencils, tablets and binders. However, I realize that parents of college-bound kids don’t have the same luxury. When Wal-Mart starts stocking Neutrogena Acne Facial Wash next to No.2 pencils, you know that the back-to-school clock is ticking. Thankfully, my daughter won’t be leaving for college for another decade or so. … Continue reading →

There Were Two in the Bed

Lately the little nursery rhyme “Ten in the Bed” keeps coming to mind. Every night it seems, “There were two in the bed and the little one said ‘Roll over, roll over!’ So they all rolled over and one fell out!” Almost every night this week Logan has ended up in Mommy’s bed and inevitably Mommy ends up falling on the floor! At first it was just nightmares, but after the first few nights he realized how much he liked sleeping in Mommy’s bed. He did this when my ex and I first separated too. He was afraid of losing … Continue reading →

Easing Preschool Drop Off

Oh, the trials of preschool drop off. Last year at this time, my daughter was suffering from a full-blown case of separation anxiety. I ended up making a very, very gradual transition into preschool, staying at her side, then in the room, then downstairs, and finally leaving. I really do not want to go through that sort of intense experience again. Today, I drop her off at kindergarten for the first time. We’ve had a gradual entry for a few weeks and this is the week that she is officially registered. Of course, there were a fair number of tears … Continue reading →