My Three-year Girl Cries If I Leave Her Even for a While

Lots of toddlers go through this stage around this same age. They are old enough to be aware of you leaving, but don't always believe that you will come back!

See if you can find someone she is comfortable with who is patient and willing to work with you- like an aunt or grandmother. Explain the situation to your helper and then make arrangements to run a short errand. When you leave the house, give her a hug and tell her that you will be back soon. NEVER sneak out b/c you are trying to work on building her trust that you will come back.

Leave the house for a short period of time- even if you just grab a cup of coffee and pick up some milk. When you get home, even if she's been sobbing for the entire 30 minutes, tell her you are so proud of her. Try to leave the house without her at least once a week and always with someone familiar. Eventually she will get through this phase!

S.,
Have you tried having play dates with her and other kids? Other parents may be going through the same and you can help one another. If you can sign her up for an activity where she can meet other children and make friends. Try spending more time with other people that have children or just in general. Take her out to a Chuck E. Cheese or something similar, you might find some mothers that are looking for friends for their children. If you can leave her home with someone, go out for 15mins and then come back, the next day try it for 1/2 hr and then come back, then next time do it for 45mins, and so on, until she starts getting use to the idea that mom has to go out without her.
Blessings

I know it doesn't seem like it but she will grow out of this stage. My daughter did this too but after reassuring her that I would "be right back" she is much better now. She still goes through times when she doesn't want me to leave (even to cook a meal, go to the bathroom, etc.) but I will sit with her for a minute and turn on her favorite show on TV and go do what needs to be done. She will get the hang of things and know that you are coming back. It just takes time and patience (even though that wears very thin).

Good Luck!

She needs a coping mechanism. You need to not let her control your life. Unless you want to give her everything she ever asks for from now until eternity, start teaching her now that she will not always get her way. Give her some "thing" that she Loves that she can have with her when you are away, and go away. How about a teddy bear with your voice recorded in it with a soothing song or a story?

You have to teach her how to be ondependant. Show her how to play for example with a toy for 15 minutes then leave her to discover playing for the next 30 to 45 min.

My 3 year old daughter has been this way since the minute whe was born! Some"seasons" are better than others. We got back from vacation a couple weeks ago to find her crying when I try to drop her off 2 days a weeks for preschool, and she refused to go into dance class without me (Come on, I'm in the next room!). This past week I have had great success talking to her a day in advance, morning of, an hour before, 5 minutes before about where we're going, what she needs to do, where I'll be, when I'll be back, what I expect from her. We've had no tears this week and a very proud little girl (praise praise praise when she makes it)! When I leave her with my mom I don't give her a chance to even ask if she can come, but throw in an "I'll have a treat when I come back, Bye" even if it's 5 french fries, or a couple tic tacs! I also try to have sonething once a week that I leave her home with dad - sometimes that is even hard for her, but the more consistant I am with doing it once a week and not skipping, the better she is next time.
I also agree with the other post about finding other moms and friends for her - when they have a good friend and a mom they know it's easy to swap babysitting times and leaving her with the other mom! We had a couple friends like that where we used to live, but now we're new here we are starting over! It's worth it though!