At what age is it likely that Amber begins to cry when dropped off at daycare?

At around one year of age, children typically begin to show clear signs of separation anxiety. This developmental stage is characterized by their growing awareness of their surroundings and the relationships they have formed with their primary caregivers. When Amber is dropped off at daycare, she may start to cry as a way of expressing her discomfort and protest about being separated from her caregiver. This reaction is a normal part of development, as infants begin to understand the concept of object permanence and realize that their caregiver is not immediately accessible.

Children at this age are also developing stronger emotional connections and may have a heightened sensitivity to being away from familiar faces, leading to distress when left with unfamiliar caregivers in a new setting like daycare. Although younger infants might cry as a reflex or due to discomfort, it is typically not until closer to one year that children exhibit the intentional distress linked to separation anxiety. As children approach two and three years, they often adapt better to such situations as they become more accustomed to separations and develop coping strategies.