About Homesickness
What causes it?
How can you prevent it?

How can you prevent it?
If possible, preparing for being away from home is the best way to prevent homesickness. Obviously, a sudden emergency hospitalization makes it impossible to plan ahead. Otherwise, if the situation is not addressed when there is ample time to do so, the experience of being away from home may cause the child to lose confidence in their ability to handle their feelings and make them anxious about future absences from home.

Here are some tips for preventing homesickness in your child:

• Involve the child in making decisions about the separation, wherever possible.

• Help the child understand that homesickness is normal and that they can learn to handle their feelings by either doing something to distract themselves from them or by actively doing something like writing a letter home that will make them feel close to family and home.

• Give the child encouragement and support when they go to a sleepover at a friend’s house.  This allows them to practice being away from home with someone who is familiar to them.

• Visit the camp, school or hospital with the child or teen in advance of them going there on their own so the place becomes familiar to them.

• Show enthusiasm about the coming event and avoid burdening the child with anything that may cause them to worry about home and family (e.g., concerns about whether another family member will be able to tolerate the separation, or if a beloved pet will be taken care of).

• With younger children, use a calendar that shows the time before the separation and the duration of the separation.

• Help the child focus on the positive aspects of the separation and think of fun ways to make the time go faster.

Adapted from:
Thurber CA, Walton E, and the Council on School Health. American Academy of Pediatrics. Preventing and treating homesickness. Pediatrics 2007, 119(1): 192-201.

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