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Infants differentiate familiar from unfamiliar people and form attachment relationships with primary caregivers that continue into toddlerhood [15]. Toddlers often use attachment relationships as a “secure base” to explore new situations. That is, knowing that the attachment figure is nearby, toddlers feel secure exploring new situations. Toddlers may also experience separation anxiety and feel anxious when primary caregivers are out of sight, illustrating a lack of understanding that the separation is temporary. Separation anxiety can be stressful for toddlers and their caregivers, particularly because toddlers may also experience frustration when they are reunited with their caregivers, particularly if they are temperamentally “difficult.” In most situations, separation anxiety abates as toddlers gain more sophisticated object permanence skills and comfort in dealing with novel people and situations.

Temperament refers to children’s personality or behavioral style in handling situations. The 3 primary domains of temperament are “easy,” “slow to warm up,” and “difficult.” A child with an easy temperament goes with the flow, adjusts to changes in patterns of eating, sleeping, and playing without difficulty. A child with a slow-to-warm-up temperament may be hesitant initially but slowly adapts. A child with a difficult temperament has trouble adapting to changes or new situations, and may be negative and difficult to handle. Although temperament is thought to be intrinsic in nature, caregivers can learn to manage their toddler’s temperament by providing opportunities for the toddler to experience success and learn to adapt to novel or changing situations.