Joanna Fortune: How do I reassure my clingy child that I'm going to come back every time?

She now has a meltdown nearly every time I attempt to leave her behind with her dad or babysitter
Joanna Fortune: How do I reassure my clingy child that I'm going to come back every time?

Dr Joanna Fortune: "A sudden and prolonged (for a three-year-old, this could be just a couple of days) separation can cause some regression, and it might take her a few weeks to re-establish that sense of safety and permanence, a knowing that you will go and then return."

Tue, 29 Jul, 2025 - 01:05
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Joanna Fortune

Child psychotherapist

My three-year-old daughter has always been clingy, but ever since I had a short spell in hospital for a minor procedure, she has been doubly so. 

She now has a meltdown nearly every time I attempt to leave her behind with her dad or babysitter. What can I do to reassure her?

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<p>Particularly for teens, their room is “their little domain”, but if really bothering you, you might negotiate around doing “a big clean” once a month, says psychotherapist and relationship counsellor Bernadette Ryan. Picture: Alamy/PA</p>

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