Mum comforts daughter with separation anxiety using heart-shaped ‘hug button’ which sends her a cuddle at school and ‘charges’ when holding hands

A MUM has revealed how she comforts her six-year-old daughter with separation anxiety using a “hug button” which sends her cuddles when she’s struggling at school.

Melissa Conlan, from Wymondham, Norfolk, penned the heart-warming Facebook post in the hopes that it will help other parents whose children struggle with separation anxiety.

The Norfolk mum-of-three drew a heart on the palm of her and her daughter's hand on her first day of school — The Norfolk mum-of-three drew a heart on the palm of her and her daughter’s hand on her first day of schoolCredit: Facebook

Melissa was delighted when her daughter went in to school without cryingCredit: Facebook

Sharing a photo of the heart she’d drawn on her palm, Melissa wrote: “Elsie has always suffered with a bit of separation anxiety when going to school and it’s always worse after a holiday.”

On Elsie’s first day of school last month, Melissa recalled how she’d read about other parents using the “hug button” technique and thought “what have I got to loose?”

“I drew this on my hand and one on hers,” she continued. “We walked to school holding hands to charge them up and all the way she asked is it charged yet?”

When they arrived at the school, Melissa told her daughter that the buttons were now fully charged and that she could “press it whenever she missed me and it would give her a magic hug from me and vice versa”.

The mum told her daughter the 'hug button' charges when they hold hands — The mum told her daughter the ‘hug button’ charges when they hold handsCredit: Facebook

Melissa was delighted when her daughter used the cuddle button 10 times on her first day back at schoolCredit: Facebook

Much to the mum’s delight, Elsie happily went in to school “with no tears” after giving her mum a kiss.

Melissa continued: “She asked me when she came out how many times I pressed my magic button today and I said 10 times!! She smiled and said ‘same as me.'”

Unsurprisingly, Melissa’s sweet post has struck a chord with parents and racked up over 13,000 comments and 37,000 shares.

One parent gushed: “This is AWESOME!”

I told her they were fully charged and to press it whenever she missed me and it would give her a magic hug. She went in with no tears, just a kiss and a smile.

Melissa Conlon

Another added: “Brilliant and so personal too.”

“That’s perfect,” a third replied. “I love it. Good job mum!”

Speaking from her own experience, another parent wrote: “Me and my 18 year old daughter have matching tattoos of a mum and baby elephant for the same reason – it helps her everyday.”