Learn how consistent, intentional goodbyes can ease separation anxiety with Elsa Jacobsen and Rhonda Meyers.

Goodbyes matter more than we often realize.

In this episode of The Heartfelt Way, host Rhonda Meyers is joined by Elsa Jacobsen, a seasoned early childhood educator and working mom of two, for a deeply personal conversation about separation anxiety. Together, they unpack the emotions behind drop-off—those lingering hugs, hesitant steps and the quiet worry parents carry with them long after goodbye.

Elsa shares her experience navigating separation anxiety with her second child. Her story is a powerful reminder that experience doesn’t eliminate emotion—and parents’ feelings are just as important as children’s behaviors.

[00:05:29] “Sometimes slowing down, taking the extra second, getting the extra hug and doing the extra thing stops all the extra feelings.”

Rhonda and Elsa discuss practical strategies educators use to build trust before the first day of school—from home visits and informal meet-and-greets to building routines. When followed consistently, these strategies can help minimize separation anxiety for children and parents.

Elsa also addresses one of the most important—and often overlooked—principles of separation: always saying goodbye. 

[00:19:19] “Don’t leave without saying goodbye. Don’t do the sneaky leaving. . . . it breaks the trust.”

When parents resist the urge to sneak away, they protect the trust children are still learning to build with their parents, teachers and peers.

Whether you’re a parent wrestling with guilt at drop-off or an educator welcoming a child into your care, this episode offers reassurance, practical insight and a heartfelt reminder: small moments of care can shape a child’s sense of safety.