Does your LO prefer one parent over the other?

Irisheyes1247 · November 2011

C has been hitting the mommy phase pretty hard. If it is just her and DH, she is fine, but if I am around at all she basically wants nothing to do with him. Before we leave in the morning, I take her in to say goodbye to him and give him a kiss and she tries to get away. He doesn't say anything but I know it hurts his feelings. I'm sure it is just a phase, as most things are at her age, but it makes me nervous for when the baby comes - what if instead of clinging to her dad, she just kind of hates both of us? I am stressing for no reason...

meryltheresa · November 2011

L went through this too. He grew out of it. Now it's whoever is doing the more fun activity, he's up their butt. DH has been doing some house remodeling, so his tools have been out, and L will NOT leave him alone. But if I say I'm running out to get the mail he bolts for the door and grabs his shoes. haha!

Mrs_Hark · November 2011

yep. he's a daddy's boy right now. he wants nothing to do with me.

most of the time i'm ok with it, i know it's just a phase, but the other night as he was sitting on the floor sobbing 'daddy read book' it kinda hurt and i teared up. maybe he is just giving me a break for all those months i did everything.

wendyj · November 2011

Ian went through that, too. At this point, he has his favorites for different things - Daddy for bath and story time at night, me for snuggles on the couch. Then, depending on his mood (or who he's not mad at at the moment because we told him no), either of us for whatever he wants to do at the time.

jewelsonu · November 2011

most days ethan prefers dh over me and sophia prefers me. It is hard for dh when Ethan chooses me. It was awesome on vacation b/c both kids wanted me. Right now dh is the primary caregiver so I understand. I'm sure when he gets a job it will change.

TinaL99 · November 2011

Stella has been the same way for what seems like forever. I'm still waiting for her to grow out of it but there doesn't seem to be an end in sight. She has gotten better with DH, but still definitely prefers me over him. I know it hurts his feelings, too, but I think it bothers me more than it bothers him.

olivia_eve · November 2011

Rosie has been in a Dada phase since the middle of my pregnancy with Thomas. She has no problem saying it either, she'll say she loves Dada more than me, and she doesn't like me, etc. It hurts my feelings, but I don't think she really means it. Thomas is in a Mama phase, but I think it has something to do with the fact that I provide all of his food.

sunnygirl05 · November 2011

My boys went through a "I want Mommy to do everything" phase but that only lasted for a short time....thank god! ;o)

dle927 · November 2011

For Claire it varies from moment to moment...and halfway through an activity she'll decide she wants the other one of us (like when one of us is putting her to bed). This morning, for instance, I went to get her out of bed and she wanted DH take her to the potty. Then he tried to get her dressed and she screamed for me to help her. We generally just go with it. And sadly, Evan gets the "leftover" parent.

mrsoc · November 2011

A definitely favors me. E goes back and forth. It usually depends on who has spent more time with him. So when I am home with him for a few days, he favors me and vice versa. He usually favors DH a tad bit more, but since I went back to work in October, he has definitely been favoring me.

cm2007 · November 2011

Abby definitely favors DH. When he is home, he has to do everything. I will admit it bugs me a little but I know it is just because she is with me all day and doesn't see him as much. While we were in Michigan, she favored my mom. She had to do everything. I think DH enjoyed the break.

jnk062602 · November 2011

Ellie favors me big time. It makes DH feel bad, especially since he is home with her while I am at work. I mean, she plays with him and loves him, but when I am home, all she wants is me. If she hears him coming down the stairs or entering the room, she yells out "Oh no Daddy coming!" and runs to me. I used to tell DH it was because I was nursing her....but we stopped almost a year ago. I really hope for his sake that she hits that daddy stage at some point. Or at least that ds favors him at some point. Poor DH. Even the dog favors me.

battybtags · November 2011

Yes and no. If she gets hurt, she always wants the other parent that isn't there with her, so that varies. If one of us gets strict with her or tells her "no" and she gets mad, she wants the other parent. Bedtime is variable too....she wants to read/rock/sing with me, but when I go to put her in her crib, she wants Daddy (she knows he's a softy and will get to rock/sing longer with him than me). If I'm not home at bedtime, she cries for me. If DH isn't home, she cries for him. It's pretty funny actually!

jnk062602 · November 2011

Irisheyes1247:
Before we leave in the morning, I take her in to say goodbye to him and give him a kiss and she tries to get away.

Hey - try this. DD used to fight giving dh kisses and hugs. Once she started being all about wanting to choose what she is doing (which I think she was a bit older than your dd, but it still might work), I tell her to give him a kiss or hug. I say Ellie pick - do you want to hug or kiss daddy now. And she gets all excited about which one she wants to do and half the time ends up doing both. DH loves the change and has started phrasing it that way too when he asks for a hug or kiss.

TinyPinkBug · November 2011

B has always been all about Mommy. Tyler was all about mommy until right around his 4th b-day, now he is all about Daddy! At one point, both kids wanted me for bed, now they both need Daddy. Ty wants Daddy, B will only go to sleep for Daddy but she doesn't WANT him.

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