I'm probably being very silly, but I am genuinely upset by this.
DS is 17mo old. He has always been an independent chap but he just doesn't want me to do anything for him at the moment. He wants his daddy to do it, or grandma, or granddad. Anyone but me.
I work 4 days a week and DS has been going to nursery since January. He has settled really well. Everytime I pick him up, he's full of smiles and crawls over to me and the staff tell me what a great day he's had. Sometimes MIL and FIL pick him up early and spend the afternoon with him. DH does most of the drop offs. He cries when he's dropped off if he has been away from nursery for longer than usual eg. if we've had a long weekend, whichever of us drops him off.
When I get him home from nursery however, we go into the living room and play. Except we don't. He refuses to engage in anything other than swinging off the safety gate and shouting dadadadada until DH gets home. Then he only wants DH and cries and tantrums if he leaves him. I could go to the moon and he would happily wave me off.
It's the same on my day off work. We go out in the morning and for lunch when he's fine, but when I try and play with him, he's just not interested. Again, he goes to the safety gate and shouts for DH or just tantrums in the middle of the floor. He knocks offered toys out of my hands in fury. He's happy to sit and play with DH though.
When MIL and FIL look after him he goes to them to sit on their knee or read a book and they direct him to me and he's just not interested. He doesn't want me to do it.
Is this a phase or is he lashing out because I've left him to go back to work? Is there anything I can do to engage him better? I'm not the world's most natural parent and tbh my DH is far better at it than I am. Could it be frustration at the fact he's not walking yet? DH can carry him round for a lot longer than I can, as he's heavy.