AIBU to think my toddler doesn't like me?

[DuvetHugger]

Picked my 21 month old up from nursery today and he cried his heart out and tried going back inside! When I got him home, he cried at the front door to get back out.

My Sister took him for a few hours yesterday and when she returned him he started crying!

I know I am being dramatic and this thread is half light hearted but its really made me feel like shit!

I know how you feel! The past few times I've picked my 20 month old daughter up from her grandparents she's screamed and not wanted to come to me. It's so embarrassing! Maybe it's an age thing??

Maybe! This age is so tiring!

Don't worry OP I think this is normal! They are being taken away from something different and fun, to go back to boring home with boring mummy :) Definitely doesn't mean they don't like/love you!

This has absolutely nothing to do with you or how your baby feels about you. You are his constant, his security, he is only getting upset because he has discovered that he isn't in control and it makes him angry.

It isn't easy being a toddler.

DD did this when she started nursery at around 16months. She would be happily playing in the nursery garden, spot me arriving to pick her up and burst into tears. It was the overwhelming emotions of seeing me again. Did it for months, crying at drop off and pick up but happy the rest of the day (according to the staff).
Now she can talk she's saying "I don't want to go to nursery, I want to stay at home with mummy" so she certainly doesn't hate me!
It can be many things but could be the emotion, the lack of control, etc overwhelming them. Almost certainly not that he hates you.

Definitely an age thing. I remember my son would be in absolute hysterics when my mum would leave after watching him for the day when he was that age. And there were often times he'd run back inside nursery when I turned up 😂