Suddenly clingy toddler... one frustrated parent!!

[soapymac]

Hi all,

Title makes it seem a bit run-of-the-mill but I'd like some opinions.

I am a single dad to a 22m/o LB, who is my world. I work full time, and thus, LB goes to a nursery Mon-Fri. He has gone since he was very small, ~6 months old, and has loved every minute as he's grown. He has lots of friends, is a good sharer/plays well (for a toddler, mind you), and loves the ladies that run the nursery. He is a very happy little guy, easily pleased, full of beans, cheeky, chatty etc etc.

However, in the past week, he has suddenly grown VERY clingy. He screams and cries and refuses to leave me in the mornings, and will not calm down. I was actually called to pick him up today as he was so upset. This has NEVER happened before, and I'm so confused/worried as to why everything has changed. Nursery workers tell me nothing's happened, the parent workers that do shifts at the nursery say the same, nothing has happened at home. Nothing has changed in his life, in short.

I'm just looking to see if anyone has any advice for dealing with it? I obviously left work today, and have got tomorrow off, so I can spend some time with him. He's pretty much been glued to me all day, but has been his usual self apart from that. Currently wolfing down his dinner, so I don't think he's sick... hmm

Yeah. Any advice appreciated, TIA!

Something similar happened to my little girl. Have you ever read the wonder weeks? It's about the psychological development babies and children go through and there are certain periods of time, at specific ages, when children suddenly undergo crazy mental development which freaks them out and causes clingyness.
Anyway, psycho babble theories aside, I think children do go a bit randomly clingy at times, but I think just lots of reassurance and reassess if he is still like this in a couple of weeks. One week is not that long and I don't think you need to worry.

Yes, agree with previous poster. DD got clingy around 18 mos and now she has phases when she doesn't want to go to nursery for a few days - it's often when she has new toys to play with or is feeling a bit unwell. Sometimes it's just that he might have realised he has a choice and the means to get his own way. Can you ask the nursery to make an extra special fuss of him for the first few days back?