Leaving your child at the door of her Sunday school class doesn’t have to be a stressful ordeal for the child or the parent. Most children experience separation anxiety during their early preschool years. It’s a normal step in your child’s emotional development. But take hope. Advise your parents with these measures they can take in order to help them help their baby, 1 year-old, or 2 year-old have a happy start to her day at church.
Setting a Happy Tone Before Arrival at Church
- Make Sunday morning less stressful. Preschoolers can sense your stress. Set out your child’s clothes on Saturday night. Label all of your child’s belongings and pack diapers and a change of clothes in his diaper bag.
- Feed your child before you leave for church. Separation is more difficult when a child is hungry.
- Sing a song about church or Jesus while dressing your child. Make up words to a song, using a familiar tune. You might sing these words: “We are getting dressed for church, dressed for church, dressed for church. We are getting dressed for church. We like to go to church.” (tune “Mary Had a Little Lamb”)
- Talk about your child’s teachers and friends in her room while traveling to church.
