Thoughts for the Week:

As we think about difficult childhood experiences, so many of them include times when a child has to endure separation from an adult he or she loves and trusts. When children know ahead of time what's going to happen - and not happen - they have a chance to prepare themselves for what's coming. They can think about it and get used to their feelings about it. Encouraging children to do this kind of rehearsal through play is an important way to help them manage new experiences. Pretending about going away and coming back, for instance, can give children the chance to work on the feelings they may have about separation, whether it's the brief separation of a naptime or the longer separations that come with being away from home.