Recently, my Facebook friends shared some of their goodbye rituals with me:
– One mom has a bracelet that she shares with her child. Mom wears it when they’re together, and when it’s time to part, she slides it onto her daughter’s wrist.
– Another mom leaves a nice lipstick-y kiss on her child’s hand, with a reminder that when the lipstick is gone, mom will be back.
– A friend of mine took her kindergartener to a mall for a special day, and they took some photo booth pictures while they were there. He took them to school in his backpack and looked at them whenever he missed his mom. He still carries those pictures today, at 20.
– A another friend gave her son a rock to put in his pocket. She told him that each time he felt the rock, he was to remember that even though mom wasn’t there, God was always with him.
This last ritual is the premise of my new book, Quinn’s Promise Rock. In it, little Quinn experiences separation anxiety and her dad shows her how much she can trust in her all-present God. Written for children experiencing moments of separation anxiety or other common fears, Quinn’s Promise Rock reminds kids that God will always be there for them, whatever happens or wherever they go. If you need a ritual, try pairing the rock ritual with reading Quinn’s Promise Rock!
Understanding your child’s normal development, paying attention to his fears, praying for him, and creating special goodbye rituals will go a long way toward helping your child walk into preschool with confidence. If you need more tips, I have more in-depth article here.
Hopefully, if we follow these tips, neither you or I will get kicked in the stomach by a freaked-out child ever again.
Know a child with anxiety? Check out my upcoming book: Quinn’s Promise Rock
