Parenting Forums

Posted: 14 August 2007 at 4:57pm | IP Logged

For a few weeks now Joshua has become extremely clingy. He has always been out going and lively, but he seems to have lost all of that. In the house he is fine so long as he knows what room I am in. If I was to go downstairs now and he didnt hear me he would scream uncontrollably until he could see me again. I thought it was a phase buts its been weeks not just a few days. He never usually likes snuggles on the sofa, its only when he is really tired he will, but lately its all he wants just to be glued to my side. Its the same at bedtime, usually he only comes in my bed when he's not well, but now its a mission to get him to settle in his own bed. Some nights, I wake up with him wrapped round me and he has climbed in without me knowing. I do put him back, but he's back in my bed by morning. Even at my mum's he was quite clingy, which is very out of character. He usually tells me to go somewhere or follows my mum round the house lol

I keep telling myself its just a phase and its nothing to be worried about, but Im starting to worry thats it more than that. There is also this week at football, he adores football and was so excited to go, and yet he is wanting me all the time. Today he even took a teddy with him and has clung to that whilst playing. The Joshua who i know and love would be out there with the rest of them showing off. I thought at first it was the older kids, but the los are kept completely separate. I also wondered about it being a male voice and that shouting tone footballers use, but that wouldnt explain the behaviour for the last few weeks. Apparently he was better today but as soon as he saw me he got all upset again and clung to me begged me not to leave him.

Ive never gone through this with Joshua. When he first went to nursery he was off waving I was the one left scared and upset by the door, starting school omg he just ran in and didnt look back lol He is popular has friends, which Ive made sure he has still seen over the holidays, took them all out to the park or beach. I dont know how to get his confidence back  He's like a shadow of what he was just a few weeks ago!

Posted: 14 August 2007 at 6:31pm | IP Logged

Has anything changed recently? New boyfriend new friends?

Anything happened in your family or his friends family that he might have overheard?

Kids usually pick up on things. Harrison went through a stage of being withdrawn and quiet and very clingy to df, wouldn't go let him go anywhere unless he could go too.  But this was due to the fact he lost his grandad and he could sense it.

I think lo's go through phases of separation anxiety.  Maybe its because its the school holidays and hes out of routine.

I'm sure he'll perk up soon, have you tried asking him if anythings wrong?

Posted: 14 August 2007 at 11:22pm | IP Logged

I was going to say the same as the grils...Sit down with him and have a chat.

May-be he is worried about going back to school ?

As you said, It might just be a phase and it could pass over.

Posted: 15 August 2007 at 8:07am | IP Logged

aww..sorry to hear cris..i dont have a clue what to tell ya, but hope it is a phase and he will be back to his normal self. i remember when very little, i watched somthing scary on the tele and didnt want to be alone even in the house for a while. good luck cris.