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How to Manage Preschool Separation Anxiety
By Amanda Rock, About.com Guide

1. Say goodbye. The simplest of the steps, it's also the hardest to do. But do it you must. Give your child a hug and a kiss, tell her you'll be back soon and then walk out the door. Don't delay, don't give her "one more minute," don't linger, hoping that she'll miraculously start smiling and laughing, happy to go and play with her preschool chums. You've brought her to preschool and now it's time to let her get to the business of being a preschooler.

2. Trust your child's teacher. Preschool teachers, even newly-minted ones, know kids. They've done this before and have many ways and methods in their bag of tricks to help calm your little one down. From redirecting to a new activity to simply giving your child a hug and offering comfort, preschool teachers are masters at knowing what works and what doesn't when it comes to making kids happy. You chose this preschool for a reason, let the staff prove that your instincts and research was well-founded.

3. Establish a good-bye routine. Preschoolers crave routine. By giving your child something he can count on, he's likely to go to school that much more willingly. So come up with a couple of things that you do each time you say goodbye. Maybe it's a secret handshake or a special high-five. Maybe you kiss her chin or tweak her nose. Whatever it is, make it something special between the two of you and make sure you do it every single time.

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