How can I help my young child with separation anxiety now that they are back in school?

“Always reassure your child that it is 'normal' to feel worried now that schools have reopened. After so many lockdowns it is scary to be surrounded by many people/students again, and this can be overwhelming.
Your child is not alone feeling anxious, we are all experiencing a pandemic and it is OK not to feel good. There is so much uncertainty around us - not knowing what is going to happen next - that is normal to feel worried, especially when leaving home.
Open a conversation about this topic to explore your child feelings and try to empathy with her/his emotions with sentences like 'that must be difficult', or 'how does this make you feel?', or 'Why do you think that happens?'
Explore antecedents, what happens before your child starts experiencing separation anxiety? What happens afterwards? are there patterns, cycles that repeat?
Can you and your child together think about plausible solutions that could reduce your child's separation anxiety?
Access resources together, like this animated film that tackles social anxiety. You could explore with your child how Merve (the main character) is feeling, are there any similarities or differences on how she/he is feeling?
Maybe it is worth having a conversation with your child's teacher if you are concerned, teachers can provide very valuable and practical advice.
If you think more help is needed, please visit What’s Up with Everyone.”