When a Child Only Wants One Parent
What To Do When Your Child Doesn’t Want You (Or Only Wants You)
“Moooommmmy, I’m dooooone,” my daughter’s sweet voice trails from the bathroom. “Come wipe my butt!” I particularly enjoy it when this happens during my zoom meetings for work. My colleagues laugh at my misfortune as I grudgingly get up and take care of it. If there is any question of who is in charge of a parent-child relationship, remember — you have to wipe their poop.
You may be wondering if you are in a meeting- why doesn’t your husband do it? Well, he has tried many times. If he enters the bathroom, there is usually a shriek followed by “I want Mommy!” It’s a job specially reserved for me.
So is bedtime.
So is the morning wake-up routine.
So is getting her a cup of milk.
So is getting her a snack the minute I sit back down from getting her a cup of milk.
With enough pleading and bribes, she will let him do bath time or read one of her bedtime stories.
Seriously. In the past, my husband and I had worked out a deal that he would sleep in on Saturdays, and I would wake up with the girls. On…
