Hey everyone, I need some advice. My 5year old daughter is suddenly scared of being by herself and it’s becoming a real challenge. She won’t even go to the bathroom alone, won’t play in her room unless I’m right there and gets super anxious if she has to close a door without someone standing by her side. I try to be patient but it’s exhausting, and I’m starting to worry this might become a long-term issue. Anyone else been through this? Any ideas on how to help her feel more secure?
I’ve been there. It’s so hard!
My 6-year-old is going through the same thing. It came out of nowhere! Do you think something happened to trigger it?
I completely understand how overwhelming this can be. My daughter went through a phase like this when she was around 4. It’s tough, especially when you can’t catch a break, and it’s frustrating because it feels like a regression. We tried making small steps, like standing outside her room door instead of inside and slowly increasing the distance. Some days were better than others, but eventually, she gained more confidence. Just hang in there, and remember it’s okay to feel exhausted and need some space yourself. You’re not alone in this.
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This sounds so familiar. My son went through something similar when he started kindergarten. It was like he was glued to me 24/7, and I couldn’t get anything done without him clinging to me. What helped us was using a little stuffed animal as a bravery buddy. He would carry it around, and whenever he felt scared, we’d remind him the buddy was there to keep him safe. We also started small ike asking him to stay in his room for just 5 minutes by himself while we praised him afterward for being so brave. It took time, but little by little, he got better at being on his own. Hang in there.