Toddler Gets Upset When Daddy Prepares To Go To Work

If your child doesn't whimper when you drop him off at daycare or Grandma's, well, enjoy it while it lasts. One fine day, he'll show his displeasure at being left behind, even if you're just headed to the bathroom. Your goal: To get your cutie comfortable at the thought of saying goodbye. And, yes, it can be done - even with the clingiest kid.

Watch as this 1-year-old gets adorably upset with dad once she realizes he's about to step out for work. Sounds like she has her reasons! Watching her cling to her papa’s pant leg really breaks our hearts! Why does he have to go every day and leave her at home alone with mom?! Dad knows she won’t separate herself from him, so he asks the question that is on everyone’s mind: “Do you want to come with papa to work?” and as if she understood him perfectly, she grabs the fabric on his pants and tries to pull herself up! Of course she does!

The office is no place for a cute tot like that, so he just tells her he’s sorry and he has to go, to which those bright little eyes go blurry with tears! She lets go of dad and puts her teny hands on the door. No one is getting out! As discouraging as that may sound, it can be very helpful to remember that separation crisis is completely normal, even healthy. "From the earliest years of life, we should want children to encounter ordinary adversity because it's practice for building resilience," says Aaron Cooper, Ph.D., co-author of ‘I Just Want My Kids to Be Happy! Why You Shouldn't Say It…’

To minimize your child’s suffering, you can start early, to accustom your baby to you leaving for a period of time for work. Keep your goodbye short always and keep a cheerful mode on. And of course, do what this little tot’s dad did and create a ritual when they get older, to create order into the departure. If your little clinger can't stand the thought of you going to the bathroom without her, practice mini separations. Play games like peekaboo or, especially, hide and seek. Go into another room, pop back in, and praise her for not falling totally apart. Then gradually increase the time between your exits and entrances.

To sweeten the deal, pull out a special toy that she gets to play with while you're in the bathroom. No, they may not totally prevent teary farewells. But your goal is to give your child coping skills, and these little practice runs help.There's a reason all those cuddly stuffed animals and blankies are called loveys. They're stand-ins for you, so put them to good use. Include them in goodbye rituals if your child's not allowed to keep his in preschool. Give him something of yours to keep, whether it's an invisible kiss, or, for your kindergarten kid, a lucky nickel or rubber band to wear around his wrist.