Loving Rituals to Share with Your Children
by Minette Riordan, Ph.D.
We can never tell our children that we love them often enough. When our children start school, the separation can be as hard on Mom as it is on the child. Here are some loving rituals I have successfully used to help my children transition to school and to keep with them in their every day lives.
Hand Kiss: When it comes time to say goodbye to my daughter at drop-off time, we give each other a kiss on the hand, touch the hand to our cheek and/or heart and know that any time during the day when we are missing each other, we will have that kiss on the palm of our hand.
Bring a Photo: When my son was two and just starting Mother’s Day Out, we found a stuffed elephant with a spot for a picture on it’s belly. We put a family picture in it that he could look at during the day and know we were with him in spirit. We found the elephant at Babies R Us.
Love Note: Surprise your child with a “love” note or a silly joke in their lunch box. Write it on a sticky note and put it on top of the sandwich box or make it fancy and put it in an envelope. No need to do it everyday but it’s fun to do when they are not expecting it. They come home full of thank you hugs and happy feelings.
What loving rituals have you established with your children?
With my almost 3 year old son, when I drop him off at preschool, we do a big hug and a HIGH FIVE, it is “our thing” and he never forgets that we do it every time!
[...] that objects and people are still there even when he or she cannot see them. Therefore, toddlers’ separation anxiety generally begins to decrease. With that realization, toddlers begin to develop more confidence, and [...]