I WANT TO CUDDLE YOU!

[MuddlingMum]

DD is coming up to 3yrs and in the last couple of weeks she has started to protest about leaving the house. We used to go out most days to soft play/park/relatives, but now anything I suggest is met with 'I want to stay at home and cuddle you on the sofa!'

I don't know if she's developing an anxiety. She's mostly well-behaved when we're actually out, but has regressed back to a few tantrums. When we're actually at home she's asking for cuddles constantly. It sounds to me like she needs reassurance for some reason, but I can't think of anything.

My dilemmas is how many cuddles should I give her?! I would be cuddling her constantly if I agreed every time. I know you can never cuddle a child too much, but when she'd rather do that than play with her toys...?

Cuddle whenever requested but don't let her use it as an excuse to avoid going out. If you want to go out or take her to an activity, still go ahead and do it. If she prefers to cuddle than play at home, why not have a cuddly session with books. Make the most of it, in a few years you will be 'uncool' and not allowed to hug etc!

I've heard three year olds called "threenagers", and I think that's quite apt.

They are in-between stages - baby and child (teenagers are between adulthood and childhood). so on the one hand they are seeing that they have more control, and want to exercise that control, but along with that goes a bit of anxiety - will we still be there to keep them safe ? They are also starting to understand about the passage of time, and sometimes about things like loss and death.

I'd agree with Fernie about how to deal with it

My DS1 (6) sometimes wants to "chill in the house" and I take it as a sign we're doing too much.

Could this be the case? Too much fun stuff and all she wants is one-on-one time?

Thanks for that. Don't know that we're doing too much as that hasn't really changed much recently. I've started to be alot more expicit in telling her what we're doing and make sure she knows in advnce so she can think it through e.g. this afternoon, we're going to go in the car to the park, then have a lovely time playing in the park, then drive back home.

Love the term 'threenager' although sometimes I think she's more like a teenager! My childminder looked at me with pity when I described recent tantrums and said, unfortunately it doesn't get any better with girls! Great!