DD cries at the thought of being away me

[Xmum2threeX]

So my DD is 6 in a couple of weeks. From a baby she has always stayed out with my mum on the weekends, during lockdown she was obviously away for a few months due to isolation then has just refused to stay out overnight. Cries hysterically she will miss me, doesnt want to leave me, begs me not to leave her, happy to go for a little while but not overnight. I Have an overnight booked soon for me and my husband so need some advice if anyone has been in the same situation.

My dd is 7 and very similar circumstances. She is going to stay with grandparents next week for 1 night as they have booked a treat for the next day. In some ways it is helping that she is going off to have fun and dh and I are staying at home, so she does not feel that she is missing out. I also asked her before booking it all in at a very calm chilled time about what was stopping her, and we have agreed that on this first occasion I will stay until she falls asleep because she worries dreadfully about whether asking people for things is rude but is also quite particular about her sleep routine so she's nervous about needing to make any requests.

If it helps, my DS (almost 7) was very confident staying with grandparents pre-Covid and has since been wobbly about staying without me. He got hysterically upset the night before he and his brother were due to stay with them a few months ago, for the first time without me. But we called my DM to reassure him he could come home any time, etc - and he was absolutely fine. Until I turned up when he started being such a pain I would cheerfully have put him on eBay.🙄

My mums house is like her second home, she visits everyday but refuses to stay overnight, not shy about asking for things at all. Just cries and says she will miss me if i mention a sleepover. no idea how to help her, My mum thinks she will be ok obviously if she doesnt settle we will come home, just wish i knew what changed

I don't have any advice but we have similar issues here, not with overnighting per se as she never does that, but me being away (even just in the office for work!) causes tears with our 5yo. I think our kids got so used to us just being around them ALL the time and although we're all desperate to get our lives back to what they were before the pandemic they can't remember it being like that and have no desire for us to be away at all, ever! I guess slowly slowly is the only way to do it.

Will just have to keep trying. I have left her for a sleepover on a few occasions letting her know if she wants to come home to call and i will be straight there, as soon as it gets to 8oclock the phone rings and she wants home. I love that she enjoys being at home and would rather stay at her own home, but 1 night child free atleast once a year would be nice