Kingsley: Separation Anxiety

Tuesday 8th July 2014

Well this is a first: Kingsley has suddenly become upset when left at nursery. Today’s drop off was teary and emotional, like yesterday’s. Hmmm; two days in a row. Could this be separation anxiety?

Up to this point Kingsley has thrived at Hummingbird Nursery. Its been nothing but smiles and games from when he first arrived there as a four month old. That’s three months of fun, excitement, comfort; feeds, naps and cuddles. In fact his first full day went so (surprisingly) well that both Erroll and I wondered if we ourselves were the bad parents for wanting our baby to fuss at being left at nursery.

At seven months he is too little to know about manipulating us and pulling heart strings. So even though these new outbursts are heart wrenching, as I understand them, they are in fact a normal part of Kingsley’s development.

The anxiety and distress that leaving Kingsley causes me (him?) is a sign of the strong bonds and attachments formed between us combined with the fact that babies do not understand the concept of time. At this age – seven months – Kingsley will start to register strangers and realise that I am walking away without him. Boo.

Day 3 Nursery 016

Week one at nursery: our four month old with his Nurse Rona

Day 3 Nursery 017

Life is SO EXCITING when surrounded by colourful soft balls

Nursery in the early days

Learning to play. Kingsley with Nurse Rona in his first week at Hummingbird Nursery

I have a suspicion that its not only King who is now experiencing separation anxiety…

Proud dad watching Kingsley settling in and at play with Nurse Rona

Proud dad watching Kingsley settling in and at play with Nurse Rona

 

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