DD6 is glued to me all day long

[kerrycgeorgie]

After some tips on whether I'm overreacting or doing something wrong here. My DD6 is from the moment she wakes up (early) until when she goes to bed (after much struggle) my shadow. Even if I'm doing boring housework she will find me and need to be with me, talking non stop and wanting something or other.
She's the middle child and only girl. Her brothers are much less intense, can play together or entertain themselves, whereas DD won't do anything without wanting me to do it with her.
I'm an introvert so do need my own space (even just headspace) to recharge. She gets lots of one on one time, I am a coach at an afterschool activity she does and we do lots of girls days.
My DH is very hands on, but he doesn't always get why by the end of the day I'm frayed as she isn't as intense with him.
Any tips welcomed. Not sure if I need to change my approach. She's a beautiful and loving girl, she's just wearing me out!

Anyone any advice? DD cried this evening because I was walking with eldest DS holding his hand and talking to him. She was ahead with my other DS on their bikes and perfectly happy to she saw this.

😬 um, wait for 3-5 years???

This would be my worst nightmare but she also sounds adorable.

Similar here, we actually joke that she's my shadow! Full on and literally follows me about uf I'm changing beds, getting washing in, sitting down etc. I do encourage her to go play with ds but often she doesn't. I know yours is 6.... mine is 9 still the same- I do feel ill miss thus when she suddenly doesn't want to be near me but I do fine myself being a but harsher than I should be fir some sanity!

DD10 has always been my shadow and no signs of it easing
She says she loves my company even when I'm not doing anything
She doesn't have a lot of friends by choice, never been one to ring them or answer group calls. I also need quiet head space so sometimes will say go and play upstairs or go find something to do for 30 mins but she wouldn't go off her own back
She is so lovely and kind and complete chatterbox. I'm much quieter and come the evening I need my brain to switch off - she has started to play on laptop for about an hour before bed which I think is good for her too.
Once she is in comp I do wonder if it will change at all

I know this will sound flippant but get a job, even if very part time. Outside of the house.

My DS is like this. We use a water timer app a lot during the day for independent play (he can see it rising so he knows how long he needs to play by himself for). I started with a very short timer (3 minutes!) and increased it and now he can do 30 mins. Might not be a lot for some children but for DS that’s his limit and it gives me a break and teaches him independence. :)

Would it help if she “helped” you & worked alongside you? For example, you wash, she dries. You empty washing machine, she gets pegs and hands items to you for the line.
You vacuum whilst she “dusts.”
You peel spuds, she washes veg.

She might learn a lot from this and get so fed up she finds something else to do away from you. Just a thought!

Great replies thanks, I do worry I take myself too seriously sometimes when I'm craving peace! Looks like it's not necessary an age thing, and when I think of it I often choose to stay in or go out with mum when I was a teenager over being with my mates.
Love the egg timer idea and also tasking her with jobs, might do the trick!!!
Oh I do work, full time, but she's year 1 so there's school holidays, weekends and evenings for her to stalk me!
She is a character, and obviously an extrovert who gets her energy from being around others.
Wish I was an extrovert!

Same here. I've sort of decided to embrace it! My DD is an only and I guess it won't last into adolescence. I'm an introvert too so it's a challenge. Nice to be so loved though.

I know its exhausting at this time but she does also sound utterly adorable. Embrace the moments. She'll be long gone soon enough - or getting into bother like my 18yr old this week.

My DD5 is like this and always has been. I wouldnt describe her as an extrovrrt though, she's very shy with new people/new situations etc but she also hates to be alone. My DS1 often plays more independently than she does! I agree it absolutely wears you down and like another PP sometimes I catch myself snapping at her which isn't really fair but it's just so frustrating and suffocating to go out of a room and find shes appeared right next to me straight away. Also her following me around often involves lots of moaning, whinging and crying that she wants me to do X with her but I'm busy doing y and so on. I'm sure it would be easier if she was just chatting to me as I did chores or whatever rather than laying on the floor next to me screaming and then upsetting her brother by her behaviour.

Don't get me wrong, a lot of the time it's whinging and asking for food, or incessant chatting and questions. My patience wears thin. She needs to be out all the time, like a dog that needs walking 5 times a day! And she is the instigator of most of the arguments with her brothers.
I don't think me and DH talk to each other much in daylight hours as she puts a stop to any conversations!!!

Hah, we should get our two together, they sound so alike...!

Sorry I am of absolutely no help but solidarity! I have started asking her to do chores with me tho as some PP suggested, 50 per cent of the time she is very helpful, the other 50 per cent she just still whinges saying she doesn't want to do that she wants to do X with me instead. Sometimes I will say well if you help me do Y it will be quicker so I can do X with you sooner (if applicable obviously only if I actually can) and that does sometimes work to encourage her to help me albeit begrudgingly. I'm trying to get her to do more chores in general tbh anyway as there's loads of (little) things she can do quite competently now so it does save me and DH time if she helps a little.

My other main coping mechanism is just being out of the house as much as possible to keep her occupied!

I'll take the solidarity, makes me feel better knowing there's more kids like my DD out there!
Yes, I think I need to set her some more tasks and get her a bit more involved in my domestic chores - maybe she'll realise I'm really quite boring and there's no need to follow me around at all times.
Can you tell its been half term 😂