Little Playzone

Little Playzone

Does she know I'm her mum?

My little girl is 16 months old, and I don't feel like she knows who I am.

I have to work so she sees me in the morning for about 1 1/2 hours, and in the evening for about 1hr (she goes to bed at 6pm - has always been early to bed). When I'm at work she has 3 days with her dad, my husband, one day with my mum and one day at nursery, which she enjoys.

She's very clingy to her dad and just doesn't seem to respond to me as her mummy.

Am I just being silly? My sister told me (rather unkindly I thought!) that she will bond with who she's with the most, ie, her dad, and that she won't really understand that I'm her mummy until she gets older!!

On a weekend we have lots of fun at playzone, swimming, playing games together and reading etc etc.

Your not being silly at all. You Are her mum and she knows it. Your sister is right to a point but.... could have put it in a kinder fashion. I have just just finished a SEEDS work shop (Social and Emotional Early Development Strategy) where they did a lot of talking on 'Attachment for Early Childhood'. In short it sounds like your daughter has formed her main attachment to her father. This is not a bad thing as some kids don't get to form a strong attachment to anyone at all. You may consider on your weekends with her that dad leave the situation for a couple of hours here and there so you and your daughter have time together to strengthen your attachment/relationship. As she gets older (only a few more months, not like years) she will realise that mummy has to work and your time spent together is special. You say that you spend your time together reading as well as other things, I believe this is one of the best gifts of all to give to a child. The more you read to her the more she'll learn and quickly. Maybe you could find some books on "Mummy go's to work"? Keep up the good work MUM.

Little Playzone