A Short Goodbye

What you need

• a bag or coat to pick up as you go

How to do it

1. Pick up your bag or coat at a doorway, get down to their level and say goodbye clearly. Never slip away without telling them.
2. Use the same short words each time: 'bye-bye, see you soon'.
3. Wave once, step behind the door for a moment, then come straight back with a big hello.
4. Use the same words for real goodbyes too; the sameness is what helps.

Why it matters

A goodbye that's always short and always the same becomes something a toddler can predict, and a predictable goodbye is much easier to manage than a long or a sneaky one.

What they're learning

Saying bye

A real goodbye, said and answered, is the skill at its most useful.

Knowing what happens

The same words every time tell them exactly what's going on.

Trusting you'll come back

A clear goodbye followed by a reliable return is how that trust is built.

What to look for

Watch for them waving before you've finished saying it.

A tip

Upset at goodbyes is normal and doesn't mean it's going wrong. A short, warm, same-every-time goodbye usually helps more than staying longer.

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