Nearly 3yo so clingy with Mum and rejecting Dad

[WildeWalker]

Our daughter is 3 in Nov, I’d say for the passed 6 weeks she has become INCREDIBLY clingy with me (mum). She won’t let DH do anything, she literally tells him to ‘go away’. He has handled it well so far but I can see the cracks forming, this morning he broke down and sobbed about how hard he is finding the rejection. I am also finding it hard being clung to constantly, and the broken nights sleep as she wakes multiple times calling for me. If DH tries to soothe she just gets hysterical. I am also 13 weeks pregnant and wondering if this has unsettled her in any way. I guess I’m just after any advice if at all possible or the promise that it is a phase and won’t last forever 🫣😖

Oh this sounds so hard, on you all. Does it coincide with her being told about the pregnancy? That could be what’s underneath.

I know it’s hard but I think she needs to know that she doesn’t get to ‘let’ DH do things or not. Of course she can have some choices but she’s 3 and it’s actually quite stressful for them to call all the shots like that - even though it seems like what they want. I think you should find ways to make firm boundaries about DH caring for her. You will need this as your pregnancy progresses and certainly as new baby comes. Maybe start with certain tasks like dad will read your story/ put to bed, or go to park without you. Bringing in ‘if you wake up tonight, daddy will come and give you a cuddle and go back to sleep’. You may find that she’s hysterical but if you stick to it a few nights she will realise you mean it. The hard thing is for DH to try and stay patient through it all, can’t be easy on him.

I'd book to do something/join something every Saturday afternoon and just go out and leave them to it.

Just gently force the situation.