Helping Your Child Overcome Separation Anxiety or School Refusal: A Step-by-Step Guide for ParentsEffective Tools for Parents Does your child cling to you whenever you try to leave? Does he or she react strongly to the thought of being left alone? Psychologists call this kind of behavior separation anxiety, and it's usually a normal part of your child's developmental process one that they outgrow. Sometimes, though, extreme or persistent kinds of separation anxiety can make life difficult for both you and your child. In some cases, separation