Toddler ignoring parents in front of others

[mala1]

I'm very concerned about my daughter's recent behaviour. She is 18 months and started in the last week to ignore both parents when in company of others. At first I thought this was very sociable behaviour but now I'm concerned as she doesn't want to have my affection. She only accepts me when we are alone. Anybody can help to advise whether this is normal and what I need to do to remedy this situation.

Well if my experience and my friend's experience is anything to go by - it seems normal. They are just asserting their independence and its good in a way that they feel secure enough to be able to leave you and go to others, safe in the knowledge that you are there for them iyswim.

DS does it quite frequently when his Aunty and Uncle are around and it used to upset me at first but now I just use the time to read a mag or something - as long as I'm there in the background, he's happy!

Hope this helps a bit?

I agree with pussinjimmychoos, it's just a step in their quest for independence.
Be proud she feels secure enough to mix with other people and know you'll still be there.
It's a Good Thing.

Thanks for giving me some reassurance. I'm feeling paranoid perhaps that my daughter behaves like this because she is upset that we went to work all day and left her with members of family. It was horrible to come back from work and feel completely blanked by her by not acknowledge my arrival...

Mala - DS does this to me all the time. I work 2.5days a week and on the .5 day, DH does the nursery run and when I walk in the door and coo over him and try to get a cuddle and a kiss, he doesn't want to know! They aren't being malicious that you have been at work all day - not sure they even know how to be at this age tbh.

I'm sure I also heard somewhere that babies always make their mothers work hard for affection, more so than any other member of the family. You gotta love 'em

Thanks PussinJimmyChoos! I will definitely sleep tonite after your kind words!