I've heard of this anxiety being mentioned before, but THIS?? No one told me it was like THIS! I can't move 2 inches away from her without enduring high volume screeching, as if I had just decapitated her favourite teddy bear. If I do leave and then re-enter the room, she desperately lunges toward me as though she had given me up for dead and clings to me with her kung fu grip. How do I eat? How do I pee? How do I maintain any amount of personal space?
And unfortunately Kyle is no remedy. She'll sit on his lap and cry as she looks at me sitting just a few feet away. (Esmé would have you believe that Kyle is a terrible father, but don't let her fool you.)
We are going to Vernon this weekend and I'm told that this will only get worse while on vacation. Yippee.
So, do I let her cry to teach her not to rely on me so much? Or do I keep her by my side so she feels safe enough to eventually be on her own? Advice? Anyone?
The advice I have is to keep her by your side so she knows you are there. I have proof in Erik that at some point they do outgrow it and become independent. Erik just finished telling me the other night that I need to loosen the screw (I guess this is his way of telling me to loosen up). He reminded me that I tell him often that I don't want him to grow bigger, lose his baby teeth and be ready to start grade 2.
ReplyDeleteAlysse is still in this phase which has made me the fastest runner in our house. The goal is to get upstairs and back down before the tears start. I can even take her to the bathroom with me and she starts crying...I think she thinks the toilet may take me away. I just keep reminding myself that there will come a time sooner than I think when she tells me she doesn't need me.
Have a good trip to Vernon.
I remember that phase! It is actually where the name monkeys started I began calling A. the clinger monkey. Once he had been clutched to my body for such a span of time with his little wet teething fingers so wrapped up in my hair I told Kev I was going to shave all my hair off. I think I was just about crazy enough to do it. This too shall pass (as they say) and I agree with Heather hold her, love her and one day it will be a memory.
ReplyDelete