toddler won't go to her daddy, help

[mummybriggs]

my 18month toddler refuses to go to her daddy. will go to most other relatives. starting to cause a problem in the house. i have to leave the room or he doesnt get a look in at all. he spends loads of time with her and perseveres with the bedtime routine as he has always done. she is more of a mummys girl but it's getting serious. wouldn't take her dinner for daddy tonight and threw a fit when he tried. Has anyone else ever had this problem, if so how did you solve it??

Not experienced it between me and DH.

The only thing I have experienced or can offer is that my MiL can be a bit too needy with my two and from babies, they both took an almost dislike to her.

They do love all 4 grandparents but would be standoffish in comparison with MiL.

She over handles them, over kisses and generally tries too hard IYSWIM.

Is this a possibility?

Now that DS is 3.10 he now LOVES her because she absolutely spoils him and he has cottoned on to the fact Granny will let him do aaaanything!

I hope someone comes along who has been through this and can advise. We have exactly the same problem with our 19 mo DD. Like yours, she'll go to other family members (although does take a little while when she hasn't seen them for a while). DH does work long hours and can be tired and withdrawn at times when he's home. But he is lovely with her when he gets the chance. The strange thing is, she talks about him ALL the time when he's not here! Then he steps through the door and she runs screaming to me.

She's been like this for a long time now, about a year. I think it began when DH had to move house about six weeks before we could join him. I know he feels sad about it and it's also difficult for me as it makes it even more likely that I'll do most of the caring 'chores' with her. To be fair, she screams and wails whoever it is changing her nappy or dressing her, so it might as well be him sometimes.

Hi there, just to say that I know how you feel - I had this problem too: my thread.

You may be glad to hear that DD is 5 now and it's not nearly as much of a problem. I am still her favourite parent, but she is much happier to be with DH now and sometimes does prefer him - hooray! I think it is a phase - as most things seem to turn out.

Hope this helps (am well pleased actually as this is the first time I've linked to another thread - I can do it!)

I should say, also, that this had started waaaay before I posted - she preferred me when a wee toddler as well. I was really worried for a long time. But with me not making an issue of it - unless she was actually rude to DH - it seems to be getting better all the time

My dd used to be like this. DH spent more time with her - taking her out for the day (and leaving me in peace!) and now, at 2, she is better with him. But if she is tired or poorly, she wants me.

My DD was/is like this too. What helped us was that I read in a book somewhere that her behaviour towards him ("no daddy, go away!" could actually be her way of expressing that she had missed him but couldn't really articulate/manage her emotions. And this sort of made sense as she was always worse when he was working long hours etc. So basically he now perseveres with her and usually she comes round eventually. Anyway I think it helped to view it that way as it's meant that DH feels less rejected!

so glad to know that i'm not the only one out there with these problems, thanks for the advice ladies, we will persevere and see how it goes.
Quickchat u've hit the nail on the head there, totally explains why she won't engage with MIL.

hoping it is just a phase that she will grow out of :)