|
|
TODDLERS
Understandings
- Recognize that one parent no longer lives at home
- May express empathy toward others, such as a parent who is feeling sad
Feelings
- May have difficulty separating from parents
- May express anger toward parent
- May lose some of the skills they have developed, like toilet training
- Toddlers may show some of the behaviors that they outgrew, such as thumbsucking
- Sleeping and naptime routines may change
- Older toddlers may have nightmares
What parents can do for toddlers
- Spend more time with children when preparing to separate (e.g., arrive 10 to 15 minutes earlier than usual when you take your child to child care)
- Provide physical and verbal reassurance of your love
- Show understanding of child’s distress; recognize that, given time and support, old behaviors (thumbsucking) will disappear and newly developed skills (toilet training) will reappear
- Talk with other important adults and caregivers about how to support your child during this transition time
|
