When your child cries upon being left at home, it’s not a sign of being spoiled—it’s a genuine anxiety known as separation anxiety. This typically arises between 6 to 18 months of age and can persist into the preschool years.
Why does this happen?
Limited understanding of time: A child can’t distinguish between a short absence and a permanent one, leading them to fear that you might never return.
Underdeveloped object permanence: Young children haven’t fully grasped that people continue to exist when they’re out of sight, which increases their anxiety during separation.
How to help:
1. Prepare in advance: Gently explain where you’re going and that you’ll be back.
2. Have a consistent goodbye ritual: A hug, a kiss, or a special phrase, followed by a confident and swift exit.
3. Stay consistent: Lingering or backing out of the goodbye reinforces the notion that separations are uncertain.
Over time, with repeated reassurance and consistency, most children outgrow this phase as they begin to trust that separations are temporary.
