What Your Child Is Really Doing When They Cling (Or Push You Away)
What Your Child Is Really Doing When They Cling (Or Push You Away)
Have you ever noticed that children often seem to want two opposite things at the same time?
They want closeness. And they want independence.
One day they're clinging to your leg at nursery drop-off. A few years later they're telling you to leave them alone.
It's easy to see these behaviours as contradictions, but what if they're both part of the same developmental journey?
In this episode, I explore the tension between connection and independence, why clinginess makes sense, and how children's changing needs can leave parents feeling confused, rejected, or unsure how to respond.
We'll look at:
Why clinginess isn't something to simply fix or manage
What children may be communicating when they push us away
The difference between witnessing distress and moving past it
Why parents often experience separation anxiety too
How children's developmental needs change with age
Why updating our understanding of who our child is now can transform our parenting
This isn't an episode about getting everything right.
It's about recognising that growing up is complicated, for children and parents alike, and learning to stay connected through the process.
💛 The 20-Minute Child Decode
If you'd like help understanding where your child is developmentally right now, the 20-Minute Child Decode guides you through eight key developmental areas, helps you identify emerging strengths and skills, and supports you in choosing one practical focus for the month ahead.
Subscribe wherever you listen for a new episode each week.
About Emma
Emma Reed is a psychotherapeutic counsellor, parent coach, and mum, whose work is about naming the complicated feelings that often get in the way of your parenting, so you can more easily enjoy your children and become a more confident mum.
Connect:
Instagram / Facebook / YouTube → @dreamyourfuturefamilies
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