Parenting: ; Girl with Separation Problem has to Tame That Monkey

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Q. Our 10-year-old daughter has a problem with separation from me. After I put her to bed, she gets up numerous times to make sure I'm still in the house. She comes into our bedroom in the middle of the night for the same purpose. During the day, if I do not immediately respond to her when she calls me, she begins to panic and scream. I've lately realized that indulging her fears has only made them worse. I've also realized that they are a means of controlling our relationship and that she must learn to deal with them herself.

With that in mind, I told her last night that if she got out of bed to check on me, I would cancel an upcoming sleepover. She got out of bed to check on me, so I canceled it. This morning, I told her there would be no more sleepovers or play dates until she stops checking on me after I put her to bed. She was furious with me, but I'm sticking to my guns. Am I doing the right thing? How should I handle the daytime fears?

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Parenting: ; Girl with Separation Problem has to Tame That Monkey

A. There are times when the most beneficial things parents do for children are not appreciated at all. This is one of those times. None...

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