Kindergarten days… when we were tiny humans in a world driven by adults. My parents made the choice to have my neighbor – a teacher at my kindergarten – drive me to school in her VW Bug. They would walk me to her car, parked under the big mulberry tree at the front of her house. I would stand quietly until instructed to get in. I was small, unable to see anything but the sky out the window during the drive to school. The kind teacher would bombard me with questions that I was too shy to answer. In my mind, I was busy pulling brave feelings from every crevice of my body.
Many of us can recall being separated from our parents to attend school because it was a big emotional event. This is true for your child too. So, tending to this precious moment will benefit your child, as they develop their emotional intelligence (EQ).
At Artplay, where kids learn to identify and manage their emotions, we typically help kid clients, post-event. In this case, we want to help you, the parent, to understand ways to nurture this experience pre-event. By being ahead of the experience, your child can avoid overwhelming anxiety.
Here are three steps to promote a healthy emotional transition to school, to curb separation anxiety:
- Have an open, honest conversation about how separating from each other will feel for your child and for you. By sharing how you will feel, you are modeling for your child. Acknowledging your emotions together will prepare your child for these upcoming feelings, making them feel less extreme in the moment.
- Offer each other a memento to carry throughout the day. When exploring these options with clients during Artplay sessions, they will choose such things as an old watch of their parents to wear, a small tub of scented lotion to apply to their skin (you can custom make this with your child), or even a hand-written love note. Be as creative as possible when choosing this item, so it is meaningful to your child.
- At the end of the day, after being apart, bring your items together, physically, which will bring things together emotionally as well. Even have the items touch like a high-five, with a celebration cheer of, “We are so brave, we did it!”
Finding ways to communicate genuine emotions will create a child with a high EQ. This will set them up for healthy relationships throughout life, so enjoy this fun exercise! Always make sure to address situations that could potentially cause anxiety, as this will decrease big reactions in the moment.
If you would like to share your own transition-to-school experience as a child, please email your memory to hello@artplayhealing.com. We would love to share your experience with Artplay families by posting them in the waiting room (no name, for privacy). In return, we will mail you a small package with a separation anxiety tool to use with your child. Or you can pick up your prize from the Artplay location on 40th Street and Greenway area.
Learn more at artplayhealing.com
