Separation anxiety for 3 1/2 year old

Hi - this isn't about my child, we have the opposite issue, I don't even get a goodbye when she goes places !

But my friends' son has only been away from her once, when she was in hospital having her second child. She tried to leave him with us one time, when he was about two and he screamed for the first half hour, got better after that, but was still contstantly looking for his mum.

She has tried to get him to go to 3yo kinda, but he gets so worked up about it in the morning he goes, that by lunchtime when its time to go, he's beside himself.

I would like to help her, but apart from suggesting she just leaves him and he will get over it, I don't know what else to say !

thanks,
Barb.

http://lilypie.com/days/051126/4/0/0/+10/.png

hi barb

what about suggesting that she stays with the child at 3yr old on the first session (i am sure the teacher would be okay with this) then at each session stay for a little bit less time then hopefully he will have had the confidence and made some little mates along the way.

i also have the opposite prob my ds just goes off (i don't even get a kiss or a cuddle just a bye mum)

it would be so frustrating for your friend my first dd was also a really clingy child.

another thing maybe would be to have the child over for short play dates without his mum being around even just 1/2 hr here or there, or even a sleepover at his grandparents house - i think the trick is just to take it slowly and try not to push the child into something and just ease him into it and make it sound fun - i remember the first conversation as i drove my ds to 3yr old kinder the first time - ie make sure you wash your hands after going to the loo etc etc and i said the most important thing you need to do at kinder is have fun - he really liked that idea, and as i said i never had a problem but he has not really been a clingy child.

wish your friend good luck