Our DD is almost 4. She's a lovely happy little thing, no behavioural or development problems (beyond the normal anyway!) But she seems to have a 'thing' about her Dad. I presumed at first this was a phase but its been going on years now so I'm not sure...
My husband is a great dad and I know he loves her very much. If I'm not around she's fine, but if I am she only wants me. And now she verbalises it which makes it more hurtful - "no, I don't want daddy to read the story just you mummy", "I don't want to sit with daddy I just want to cuddle my mummy"
At the weekend, I wanted to have a lie on in bed so DH said he'd get up with the kids. DD was in our room and asking me to get up but when I told her that Daddy was getting up because I was going to have a rest she got really upset and was saying she didn't want daddy just me. DH did take her downstairs but she got so upset and I could hear her crying, it wasn't much of a rest for me and was obviously upsetting for my DH.
I know these examples probably don't sound like much but its constant and I do worry about their relationship if it carries on like this. I have tried to speak to her about it, telling her that daddy loves her very much and it makes him sad when she says she doesn't want to sit with him/hold his hand etc. and it makes me upset too. She doesn't reply and I'm not sure if she just doesn't have the emotional intelligence yet to 'get' it or does she and I'm just not saying the right thing to her?
I work full time and she goes to a minder, never any problem with that. She's clingy to me when I'm around but not so clingy that she's not independent etc. Also, we have a 6 year old son and no issues there other than he is now noticing and gives out to DD if she says she doesn't want to hold dad's hand etc. which just makes it all the more awkward.
It's really weighing on my mind and I'd love to know if there's anything I can do/DH can do/we can say to her to fix it.