A Familiar Face

Page 4

Children and adults require a sense of security to feel at ease with their surroundings and situations. Infants also need this feeling of safety in order to thrive and develop. Consistent attachment to at least one person should be established by 4–6 months of age (Bowlby, 1988).  If an infant is constantly thrust into a situation where new people, places, smells and sounds are present he or she may feel uneasy and have a difficult time adjusting. This is often the cause for separation anxiety and can cause an infant to cry or fuss and to generally be unhappy. This is not a desirable situation for children, parents or caregivers to be in.  

It is in the best interest of all parties to ease separation anxiety for children of all ages. One of the simplest ways to do so is by ensuring that there is always a familiar face during arrival. Infants, toddlers, preschoolers and school-age children prefer to arrive in child care when surroundings and people are familiar to them. Staffing should be planned accordingly to ensure a smooth transition into child care and avoid separation anxiety.  

Children can become accustomed to more than one caregiver in their lives, and this can include parents and child care professionals. Having secondary attachment figures, such as child care providers, does not take away from primary attachments to parents. (Honig, 2002). An infant may become attached to the person or people who provide affection, nourishment and comfort to them most often. Likewise, children may become upset during arrival and then settle in with a familiar caregiver after parents have left. They may remain content throughout the day and then become upset when parents come back for pickup time, suddenly recalling that they were left for a period of time. This is not “playing favorites” or manipulating the situation by any means. It is simply a normal part of separation anxiety for many children. Separation anxiety is a sign that attachment is proceeding normally​.

Optional Resources for Further Study

• ​​How to Ease Your Child’s Separation Anxiety
• ​Helping Preschoolers Cope with Separation Anxiety By Katie Hurley
• ​Easing Separation Anxiety By Dr. Sherry Warner

Course Navigation Menu

1. Course Agenda
2. What is Separation Anxiety?
3. Development
4. A Familiar Face
5. Familiar Caregiver (1/4) 

6. Temperament and Separation Anxiety
7. Attachment  (2/4)
8. Separation Anxiety Disorder
9. How to Ease Separation Anxiety
10. Managing Separation Anxiety

11. Helping Children (3/4)
12. End of Course Quiz (4/4)
13. Course Evaluation Form
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