Creating Healthy School Separation
Separation has become a rather unintentional theme across our recent episodes of ParentTalk, as our discussions surrounding independent sleep, the disruptions of holiday routines, the creation of effective educational routines, and the ruptures and repairs of our family relationships, have invariably led us back to the unavoidability of separations, large and small, in their many forms and fashions, and the importance of making those separations thoughtful.
In this week’s episode, “Never Sneak Out,” we turn our attention toward school separations. Healthy separation is the most important part of the curriculum for young children beginning school, and in an information-packed discussion of the subject, Susan and Arthur walk listeners through proven strategies for making this transition a healthy one for children and parents alike.
While parents often hear from teachers, your child is doing fine. She stops crying the moment you leave, the trauma of an abrupt school separation seldom shows itself in emotional outbursts alone, and is often displayed in subtler behaviors that grow more problematic over time. “Never Sneak Out,” outlines these potential warning signs, questions concerned parents can ask their child’s teachers, and additional steps both parents and educators can take to make apprehensive children more comfortable joining their classrooms and learning communities.
“You don’t separate a child from their parent in a day. It is a lifelong process.”
– Susan Glaser
Episode Highlights:
– Why school separation should be part of the curriculum in early childhood education centers.
– Don’t worry, but be thoughtful when planning school separation.
– The transfer of trust.
– Creating reasonable expectations when separating at school.
– Questions parents can ask when considering their child’s transition into early education. What to look for, and what to avoid.
– Why it is important to minimize transitions throughout the school day.
– Warning signs that a child is struggling with separation.
– Easing the path. How to improve separations.
– More effective separation routines.
– Clues for when your child is separating comfortably, and when they are not.
– Giving it time.