4 Yr Old Having Anxiety Issues

My daughter has done this many times and I remember a time when she was 4 when she would scream all the way to "camp" every day. She was fine once I left. Turns out her favorite teacher moved to a different room and her best friend moved away and she just couldn't verbalize how she was feeling. When she started a new school after that, I warned the director about what she was going through and she came in and met the teacher before hand. We talked about how great it was to be a big girl going to a big girl place. She wasn't happy the first day but wasn't crying, and the teacher knew her story so she grabbed her and got her involved in an activity before she had a chance to react. I think several years later she would still choose to stay with me if possible, but she does realize that there are some fun things she will miss. She was hyperventilating on her way to camp on her first day this morning and I coached her telling her to take deep breaths and that I would be there to pick her up at the end of the day. I never gave her any option but that she would go. So when she said that she wouldn't go, I would just smile and say that she had to go and that I was positive she would have so much fun.

Omg, I can't even get my 4 yr old daughter to go to the gym with me and be away from me for 30 min! My kids have only been watched by my mil or husband. She says she wants to go to gymnastics, dance etc. But when I try and leave I can't even begin to describe the tantrum! She is going to preschool in Sept. And everyone assures me she will be fine but they don't understand how attached she is to me. It's almost smothering sometimes. Right now with extracurricular activities I don't force it. But I will just walk away when I drop her off at school. They will get over it and we will survive.

Hi there,
I am sorry to hear about your daughter's anxiety. I am a parent educator, a holistic healer and a sufferer of anxiety myself.

Here are the best resources I have found:
The first is EFT:
http://www.amazon.com/Tap-into-Joy-Emotional-Techniques/d...

Second, VERY often anxiety can be precipitated by an inhalant that is toxic to the person. The most common culprit is laundry detergent (of all things!) but there are many toxins that we smell, eat and put on our skin that can cause problems. Here is a great resource if you suspect any of that (esp if you have changed/added anything scented lately):
http://quantumtechniques.com/

I hope this helps. Feel free to contact me if you have questions.
Blessings,
K.
Kimberly Smith Cavins, OTR, CPE, EFT-Cert
"From the Heart" Family Healing

Helping people with:
~Parenting or Family Struggles
~Unhealed Emotional Issues, Trauma, or Illness
Who need Peace, Love, and Connection

Remedy Center for Healing Arts; 4910 Burnet Rd Austin, Tx 78756 ____@____.com
"We can do no great things, only small things with great Love"~Mother Teresa

I don't have an expert opinion, but I follow my instinct with my own kids. They are 5 and 3 and I stay home (so no daycare). My son was happy to go to preschool, but my daughter cried so I never took her back. My son is more comfortable to sit with me at church than he is at Sunday school, so I let him stay with me. I think if they feel more anxious if they have no choice in the matter. I think when my son starts kindergarten in the fall, my daughter will probably want to try preschool again. But, it will have to be her choice this time and will be presented as a privilege. I don't know if I've helped, but good luck!