Reverse Infant Separation Anxiety

The baby books say that parents should expect their children to begin showing signs of separation anxiety between 6 and 9 months old. When a child is left in the care of someone who is not their parent, even for a short amount of time, she may cry intensely fearing her parents may never return.  It's irrational to you as an adult, for the baby it's completely natural and rational.  The child is still developing an understanding of object permanence (think peekaboo and hide-and-seek) and parental attachment.

When leaving your child at daycare or with the sitter is the most likely time to notice this behavior.  This time of year, no one has more experience with it than mall Santas.   My son Clark is eight months old and a little different.  Fortunately or unfortunately, he hasn't really told me yet how he feels about it, I'm with my son nearly all his waking hours.  In the car, at home, play group, doctor's office, etc., daddy is rarely out of site while he's awake.  Perhaps he is starting to think, "hey, dad maybe you and I should try this separation thing out."

He loves strangers, perhaps a little too much.  The little ladies man, especially loves the ladies.  On the inconsistent days when I make it to the gym for MMA classes, I leave him with the ladies at the childcare facility there.  He loves it. (Bye, dad, I'm good!). No tears (yet) when I drop him off. In fact he seems to relish the attention.  He only cries when I come to pick him up and go home (Oh no, not him again!) He loves lunch at mommy's job, when he gets stolen away from us by the ladies there.  No complaints or anxiety (yet) from him, just blushing and cooing.   This month he has even been a good boy when it came to sitting on the Fat Man with the White Beard and Red Suit's lap. No tears, not even a funny look like, "Who's this guy, dad?!" 

Perhaps, I should just enjoy it while it lasts, knowing separation anxiety is on its way.  Or should I be concerned at how comfortable my son is with strangers (Reverse Separation Anxiety?).  No sense of stranger danger instinct.  Maybe he's sure that daddy will protect him from harm.  I'll let you know if and when separation anxiety kicks in.

    - Clark's Dad

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