Angry toddler?

ReeceFamily · March 2014

I went out of town for work last week - the first night that me and DD have ever been separated in her life, and then next night I didn't get back until after DD was asleep

. It actually went pretty well, at least on the surface. She cried a few times, but DH was always able to comfort her back to sleep in a reasonable amount of time. However, since I have been back she has had a lot of trouble going to sleep and she has started slapping and biting me. This could be coincidence, but I have a feeling it is connected to my absence. I'm not saying she is consciously like "I'm mad at mom", just that the absence stirred up some "big" feelings that she can't understand or express and she is acting them out.

Anyone else have any experience with this? I am saying "we don't hit" and redirecting, and giving hugs/letting her know I'll always come back for her (even though she may not understand). It is just hard to think I am the probable cause of some fears/anger that she will have to work through. I swear she wouldn't make eye contact with me when I said goodbye at daycare today....but that is probably my over-acting mom guilt!

spainy17 · March 2014

My DD was and is very attached to me and when I started back to work I felt like she felt abandoned or at least recognized that I was gone more often and since my schedule is not set it is unpredictable for her too and I feel guilty about that. She would wake up often on those nights and felt clingier. We just have to keep leaving and keep coming back and they will eventually realize that even if mommy leaves for what feels like a really long time that we always come back. She does better now than she did before and I'm assuming it will keep getting better as lobby as we keep coming back. Just give her lots of cuddles and redirection.

Angry toddler?

Re: Angry toddler?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards