I should have seen it coming.

For months, my 3-year-old son had been asking my husband to do crafts with himgive him baths, read him stories, and play his favorite board game. He waited eagerly each night for my husband to get home from work and asked, "Where's Daddy? As parents go, I was definitely second choice. When he insisted one night that my husband put him to bed one of my favorite rituals as a parentI braced myself and asked, in what I hoped was a casual way, "Why do you want Daddy to put you to bed instead of Mommy?

He looked up at me from under his long eyelashes and said matter-of-factly, "Because I like Daddy better. I've always been prone to mom guiltso his guileless confession sent my mind racing. Was it because I'd recently begun working more? Was I focusing too much on his older siblings? Or was it just another mostly harmless curveball tossed by my busy, emotional, and sometimes confusing 3-year-old?

I needed answers stat—so I turned to psychologist and parent educator Dr. Erica Reischerauthor of the forthcoming book " What Great Parents Do. Is it normal for a young child to favor Mom or Dad? For parents experiencing this favoritism dynamic, Dr.

Reischer suggests to first assess the situation: Is the favoritism an occasional issue? Or is there a daily struggle with a child who prefers either Mommy or Daddy? If it's the latter, Dr. Reischer suggests examining your big-picture relationship with your child. Why do young children express favoritism?

They're simply figuring out how trainee fx trader singapore navigate relationships. If you've ever experienced this dynamic, whether as the preferred parent or the rejected one, consider Dr Reischer's five tips to deal with the situation to get your relationship back on track:. You may feel rejected, but resist the urge to snap at her or withdraw emotionally.

Refusing to edit yourself will only make both of how to trade spreads in futures feel worse. Additionally, don't dwell on the situation—if she asks you to play a game, offering forex metatrader broker reviews worst thing to say is, "Well, you didn't want me to play yesterday!

You may not like how to cope with giving baby up for adoption your child is saying, but you should validate it anyway. Even if you can't or choose not to honor his request, it's important that he feels heard. Perhaps you take your child grocery shopping, make her sandwich, and brush her teeth—then your partner walks in the door and it's non-stop playtime. For everyone's sake, it's important that each parent take on a mix of "fun" and "work.

Reischer points out, "The child may just want who they perceive how to cope with giving baby up for adoption easier—the parent who gives them one more story or dessert. If a struggle ensues regularly when your child prefers Mom or Dad for certain activities, you can combat it with a regular schedule. Kids thrive on structure, and if you and your partner alternate nightly bathtime duty, your child will get to know the routine.

Your Baby's Personality and You | Parenting

Rather than "Daddy can't give me a bath because Mommy is being mean," the situation becomes "Mommy's giving me my bath tonight because it's Monday. Feeling like the least favorite parent can sting, but it's vital to respond with kindness, respect, and love no matter what your child says.

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Long-Term Issues for Birthmothers After Adoption

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Never respond in a negative way. Ensure each parent strikes a balance between work and fun. Formulate a predictable schedule.

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