What causes separation anxiety in children?

The main reason for separation anxiety in young children is that after they go to kindergarten, their daily routines and habits change suddenly, and the teachers and friends they come into contact with are all unfamiliar faces, so they are prone to lack of security.

(1) Changes in life patterns and habits.

Kindergartens have a relatively fixed daily schedule, including when to eat, when to wash, when to attend classes, and when to get up, but children’s daily routines at home may not necessarily match this. In some families, the daily routine is more casual, and everything is centered on the wishes of the children; some children even have some bad life patterns and habits, such as staying up late at night and sleeping in the morning; some children are energetic and have no habit of taking naps. According to a survey, some children are unwilling to come to kindergarten because they are afraid of taking a nap in the kindergarten. Therefore, when they first enter kindergarten, children are not used to a fixed life system. In addition, the food and drinking water in kindergarten are also different from those at home. Some young children develop bad eating habits such as picky eating and partial eating at home, and are unwilling to eat some foods after going to kindergarten. Some young children never drink boiled water at home, but the drinking water provided in kindergarten is boiled water.

(2) The relationship between adults and young children.

When young children first enter kindergarten, the teachers and friends they see are unfamiliar faces, which can easily make them feel insecure. Since kindergarten is a collective education, the teacher-student ratio is 1:15 or 1:20. That is to say, one adult is responsible for taking care of 15 to 20 children, which is very different from the environment the children live in at home. It is impossible for young children to receive one-on-one or even several-on-one meticulous care and attention like they do at home. For example, many young children need the company and coaxing of adults when they go to sleep at home, but they need to fall asleep alone in kindergarten. Children feel that they have lost the love and warmth of their family when they first enter kindergarten. In addition, young children will inevitably be in a competitive environment in kindergarten, such as how to get the teacher's attention and care, how to occupy their favorite toys, etc. Therefore, some young children may feel overwhelmed when they first enter kindergarten.

(3) Unfamiliar activity room environment.

When a child steps into the activity room for the first time, the environment of the activity room is completely unfamiliar and new to him. The arrangement of tables and chairs as well as the equipment in the bathroom are all different from those at home. While this makes young children feel curious and fresh, it can also cause them to panic and feel uneasy. For example, some young children use sitting potties or flush toilets when defecating at home, but use squat toilets at kindergarten. The children feel uncomfortable and suffer psychological pressure.

(4) Increased requirements.

In kindergarten, teachers require children to have a certain degree of independence and self-care ability, including: eating by themselves, dressing and undressing by themselves, going to bed by themselves, being able to control urination and defecation, playing by themselves, abiding by certain rules, etc. These requirements can make young children feel challenged and stressed.