3 year old DS favouring one parent advice

[furby948528]

DS (3) favours me (mum) to the extent that he is actually mean to DH. Everything has to be me and he regularly tell DH he doesn't like/love him. DH is doing his best and doesn't react but I can tell it hurts him.
I work part time so I know I am the parent that is mostly there. For a while DH worked a 4 day week and had one day a week just him and DS and it did seem to improve things. However this is no longer an option.
Does anyone have any advise or experience of this? Do they eventually just grow out of it?

They all do it, it’s just a a phase. Same as pretending he is a dinosaur / postman Pat / a princess . They grow out of it.

Try not to worry or feel hurT. Encourage your husband to spend more time with him . They could do chores together on a Saturday while you go and have some me time.

It's a very common phase.

The most important thing is to not let him choose which parent does what. If you and DH take turns with bedtime for example, then you take turns, he doesn't get to send DH away/insist you do it. That's the same across the board, if it's DH's turn then that's it.

We had it here, and I was the one of favour! I found some things that DP had no interest in and did that with DS (baking and cycling), and that made a difference to how I felt (even though I was second best in most aspects of life) because I still was nurturing the relationship. It was really tempting just to do housework or other life admin and feel like I was contributing without being rejected constantly, but that wouldn't have helped. Then it all just evened out after a few months.

As others have already said, it's a normal part of a child growing up OP. As an adult you and your DH should surely understand this, if not, how on earth are you going to react when your DS gets a bit older and tells you he hates you? It happens, and is just one of those things that children do, as they don't really understand the real meaning of love and hate, but hear those words and use them. As you've discovered, you're more in favour because you spend more time with him, so don't worry, it will all even itself out.