When Your Child “Only Wants Mommy!”: Navigating Parental Preference with Confidence

Parental preference is really challenging; it’s so hard when your child only wants mommy or only wants daddy. Either you can’t get a break because your child seems to need you constantly, or you feel rejected because your child seems to want nothing to do with you.    In this week’s episode, I answer a listener who asks: Why does my toddler only want Mommy? And how should we respond? I dive into why kids go through phases of preferring only one parent, what it means (hint: it’s not what you might think!), and how to handle these tough moments and the difficult feelings that can arise as a result.    Here’s the thing: It’s so, so normal for kids to go through phases where they prefer one parent over the other – and how parents respond can mean the difference between entrenching this pattern … or moving through it! After today’s episode, you’ll know exactly how to respond in these moments to strengthen your child’s relationship with both parents.   FREE Mindset Shifts to Ditch the Overwhelm & Parent in a Way That Feels Good: https://www.raisedresilient.com/mindset Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raisedresilient/

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Parenting is the hardest job ever – and parenting a highly sensitive child who’s struggling can feel downright impossible. If you’re suffering through endless meltdowns and aggressive behaviors, walking on eggshells, and losing sleep worrying, you’ve landed in the right place. Because I’m here to help you feel GOOD about parenting your sensitive kid with big emotions! I’m Dr. Hilary – clinical psychologist and mom of 3 helping you end the constant meltdowns and reclaim peace in your home. Join me each week on the Raised Resilient Podcast as I help you make sense of your sensitive child’s challenging behaviors & build resilience in the face of their big emotions. I’ll help you understand your child’s behavior (and your reactions to it!) so that even the really hard moments make more sense. I’ll empower you with tools, strategies, and scripts to navigate those really hard moments with connection and confidence. (And I’ll remind you that no tool, strategy, or script is as powerful as your parenting ace – your relationship with your child!) I’m passionate about parenting differently – parenting in a way that sees all kids as good, even when they’re struggling. I’m passionate about breaking unhelpful generational cycles and putting a hard stop to spanking, time outs, shaming, and yelling -- for all kids and especially for sensitive kids with big emotions. I want to help you stop worrying about whether you’re “raising them right” and feel confident that your kids will grow up trusting themselves and feeling comfortable in their skin … because they were raised resilient. And that’s big. Because raising our kids resilient can literally make this world a better place. Listen, parenting is hard no matter how you do it. You won’t “enjoy every moment”, no matter what that lady at the store says. But I’m here to help you go from just barely surviving with to parenting in a way that genuinely feels good, for you and your child. So, warm up your coffee and grab your ear buds. It’s time to turn your child’s sensitivity into their SUPERPOWER! Connect with me: https://www.raisedresilient.com/ IG: @raisedresilient Get your Free Mastering for Sensitive Kids Meltdowns Guide: https://www.raisedresilient.com/meltdowns Take my free QUIZ to see if you’ve got a sensitive kid: https://www.raisedresilient.com/quiz Book your free Breakthrough Session! https://www.raisedresilient.com/breakthrough