My toddler (18m) is currently very clingy with both myself and my husband and has had a strong “stranger danger” radar since around 8 months old. We don’t live in the same country as my parents, so see them sporadically, but often for extended periods of time. My daughter takes time to warm up and is usually more wary of men than women, but she won’t let my father or brother hold her and screams when I leave the room for too long and leave her with them. She’s better with my mother - she will sometimes cry but settles quickly and they go on independent outings together etc.
I can tell my dad and brother are hurt, despite having made a big effort to visit and be involved in her life. I have a very good relationship with them both, so am not modelling any negative behaviour around them in front of her. I’m probably just being sensitive, but I feel like they think it’s something I’m doing as a parent to make her very dependent and clingy. She doesn’t go to regular nursery but goes to crèche at my gym, plays regularly with other children and is left with babysitters from time to time and other friends with children with whom we spend a lot of time.
Has anyone else experienced this? I’m likely putting unrealistic expectations on myself and my child, but I feel that my father is distancing himself from her as she doesn’t always have a positive reaction to him.