My almost 6 year old daughter really struggles when she is away from me, and I am unsure whether it is just normal for her age or something that needs addressing. She hates me leaving the house and gets really upset if she knows I am going for a run in the evening - even if it will be after she is in bed. If she can't see me then she will often panic and get really upset - playing hide and seek can result in her becoming very panicky and tearful, for example. Her and her younger brother have just spent two nights alone with their grandparents. She was fine while I was gone, but has been really clingy and emotional since I came back. She lost sight of me for a couple of minutes (we were playing outside the house, and I was on the other side) and started crying, saying that she thought I had gone away. Then at bedtime, she was very upset, and wanted me to sleep next to her.
I know she's still very young, and that children develop at different rates, so am not sure if this is something that requires attention, or whether she will just grow out of it. I guess I am also not sure whether to avoid going away overnight, until she gets more self reliant, or whether she needs to learn that it's okay when I go away, because I always come back.
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!