Handling clingy behaviour in children can be a difficult task for parents. Children may display clingy behaviour due to various reasons such as insecurity, fear of separation, or a traumatic experience. As a parent, it’s important to understand the root cause of the clinginess and help your child overcome it. Clinginess can limit a child’s growth and prevent them from developing important life skills such as independence and self-confidence. However, with the right support and guidance, parents can help their children overcome clinginess and develop a healthy sense of self. (Also read: Early warning signs and symptoms of mental health issues in children )
Dr. Jazmine, Psychologist and Parenting Expert, suggested useful tips for parents to handle clingy behaviour in children, in her recent Instagram post.
Reasons why kids are clingy:
- They’re stressed out and seeking your safety, reassurance and connection.
- Their environment and/or schedules are unpredictable.
- They’re bored and seeking stimulation.
- They’re seeking limits.
- They’ve learned this is the best way to get your attention.
Tips to manage clingy behaviour:
1. Be proactive about giving your child positive attention
Don’t wait until your child is begging you for attention through their negative behaviour. Your attention is powerful to your children. They’ll work hard for attention, whether it’s positive or negative. Clinginess can be a sign that they want more interaction or connection from you. They want more reassurance.
2. Give them attention when they’re calm and engaged in play
Maybe they’re sitting at the table playing with their trains. You come and sit by them and you’re like, “Wow, that looks so fun. You’re playing with the blue train.” Play is a wonderful way to give your child positive attention. Especially if you have a stage-4 clinger. That is going to be one of your best antidotes.
3. Keep a routine and provide structure
The biggest routines to keep are the times when they eat, sleep, and play. Everything else can have more variety or spontaneity. Keep your routines the same because children don’t have a good concept of time. But they have a good concept of sequence. So give them some predictability and safety.
4. Establish boundaries
Don’t be afraid to say…
•”That doesn’t feel good on my body. Space please.”
•”Please sit over here.”
• “I see you want to climb. You can climb over there, right?”
• “Here’s what you can do instead. Here’s what we can do instead.”
It’s important to remember that behaviour is always a form of communication. Your child is always telling you something through their behaviour and through their verbal and nonverbal cues. Instead of viewing their behaviour as annoying, try to reframe it as a form of communication.
