Although the first separations occur when the baby is first put down to sleep, it is not until the age of 7-9 months that the baby begins to become truly upset when separated from the primary care-giver. This then continues and may intensify during the early toddler period, depending on the particular context and circumstances. The child may become distressed whenever confronted with a new separation situation — when left with a grandparent or relative, a new babysitter, when beginning daycare, kindergarten or school, and so on.

Parents should expect the child to be distressed at these times — this is perfectly normal. In most instances, if properly handled, the distress will quickly dissipate and will become less frequent and less intense as the child becomes more familiar with the new surroundings, and more comfortable with his new care-givers, and as he becomes more confident with experience that the parent will indeed return.

The situation is often made worse by the parents’ own ambivalence about the separation. The mother and/or father may have all sorts of mixed feelings about leaving their child — ambivalence about a child growing up too quickly, anxiety about the child’s safety and so on — that are transmitted to the child. While such feelings are only too normal and often understandable, they may develop into an overprotective attitude towards the child which serves to hinder his development. This may also manifest itself in other ways, such as a reluctance to set consistent limits, and so on. Ultimately this may lead to a child who is reluctant to participate fully in the various experiences of life, who is overdependent on adults, and who reacts to any anxiety or stress by turning these feelings inwards so they are expressed as somatic symptoms such as abdominal pain, sleep problems and nightmares, and headaches.

*177\90\8*

Random Posts

• THE ANTI- CANDIDA PROGRAM: HUNGER AND WEIGHT LOSS
• SYMPHOSAN – A TRIED AND TESTED REMEDY (CONCLUSION)
• A WOMAN’S ORGASM
• THE SKIN – THE SEBACEOUS GLANDS
• FOR SOCIAL WORKERS, TEACHERS, EMPLOYERS AND MEMBERS OF THE HELPING PROFESSIONS: HELPING THE DRUG-USING ADDICT OR THE DRINKING ALCOHOLIC-ABSTINENCE IS THE ONLY ANSWER
• ALLERGY BABYCARE\HOW TO WEAN: HOW TO INTRODUCE A FOOD
• HOW TO BECOME A BETTER LOVER – MYTHS (EMOTIONS)
• ÑHILDREN’S SLEEP PROBLEMS/BUILDING THE BASICS: REASONS FOR DIFFICULT SLEEP
• ALLERGIC REACTIONS TO: MOULDS
• MUSCLE PAIN