delayed anxiety in toddler

Our grandson has enjoyed many sleepovers since birth but now at almost 3 is going through extreme anxiety about being away from mom and home once he is away...do we just "stick it out" or let mom or dad come get him ...want to do right by him, his crying and "mommy mantra" can go on for over an hour....please help!


Hi Leesthree


Without knowing all of the details, my suggestion would be that the fear should go away if he is consistently able to stay away from home and sees that he is safe. However, I would incorporate some safety in to the visits by allowing more frequent contacts or transitional objects. If there are further complications with separation anxiety, I would encourage mom to seek the help of a trained therapist. I would also closely investigate what may have triggered this behavior. Is he afraid of something in the environment? Did something scary happen while he was there? Most three year olds will have difficulty away from home overnight.Ultimately the choice of how to handle this should be deferred to the parents, so I would discuss with them what they would like for you to do if your grandson acts fearful.

Good luck

Kristen McClure