My 10 year old has never been massively clingy but in the last year she has had a lot of trouble getting to sleep, and now is getting herself into a panic whenever I go out. I've never stayed with her til she fell asleep etc even when she was a baby. We've had pretty much the same bedtime routine all her life, stories or reading to herself, sing a couple of songs with light out, kiss goodnight and leave her to it.

Last night I was out for a meal, DH at home, and she starts texting me at 10.15 asking when I'm coming home, and obviously upset and can't sleep. Apparently DH doesn't cut the mustard. He's less sympathetic and more inclined to just say, "Stop being daft and go to sleep".

Is this just an age thing she will grow out of? I don't really want to avoid going out in the evening (for a start I occasionally work in the evening) as it seems like pandering to her and she needs to find a way of settling without me in the house. But now everytime I'm going to be out I am already envisaging her still being awake when I get home, or fretting all evening because she can't get to sleep.