How to help a child with separation anxiety at school

Back-to-school season is stressful for any parent, especially, but not exclusively, for parents and young kids who are going to school for the first time. 

After being with their parents only, the prospect of going to a new place with new people without mom or dad can be daunting, and that's where separation anxiety comes in.

Separation anxiety can be a normal part of a child's development. Avoiding separation won't help, but learning how to cope with the anxiety will.

Here are some coping mechanisms that have helped me and my daughter deal with separation anxiety:

1. Giving them something to look forward to: knowing they're going to do something fun while you're separated might lessen their anxiety.
2. Have goodbye rituals: having a goodbye ritual will help them feel safe, and it will lessen their nerves. It could be as simple as reading them a short story or giving a sweet and reassuring pep talk.
3. Use a token: since I'm a jeweler, my daughter and I have a mother-daughter bracelet as a token. It's our special little piece, and it makes us feel closer. It has such a sentimental value for both of us. You can either try something like that or let them bring to school any object that will make them feel closer to home. 

Separation anxiety is a regular process we all go through as parents, and I wanted to give you some tips to make your process easier. If you choose to use the bracelet set as your token you can buy it here.

Separation anxiety bracelets