My daughter is playing me!

So about 3 weeks ago my 3.5 year old had a major switch up in her personality, which has involved ramping up the tantrums considerably, and having a very vocal and physical preference for her Dad. I know this is very standard behaviour as they try to take control and test the boundaries at this age, and at first when she was screaming that she only wanted Daddy and that he was her best friend, I was the bigger person and let it go 😂 I didn’t give it too much attention and just told her that I love her always and however she felt was ok. But it’s literally been 3 weeks of her being horrible to me, and I’m starting to snap back 😅 she seems to frequently ‘forget’ that she’s supposed to not like me throughout the day and she’ll hug me and we’ll play together as usual, but then she’ll remember and start giving me evils and hiding behind her dad shouting that I’m not her best friend. I feel ridiculous that it’s starting to upset me so much as I know she’s testing me, so I’m looking for some advice/reassurance. Has anyone else’s 3 year old gone through this stage, and for such a protracted period of time?! Any advice on whether I should still be ignoring it or whether I should address it more now? We both work full time and the caregiving is 50/50, so she doesn’t spend more time with one of us than the other…

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My son is doing the same but opposite he’s all for me, but he does have a little sister so maybe some jealousy he’s only not with me one day a week xx

My son does this he goes through a stage of being like it to me and being like it to his dad, we found the more we ignored it the quicker he got over it x

Following! My son is like this to his dad, no idea how to address it x

My son did this. Before age 3 we just ignored it, after 3 you need the ‘favourite’ parent to step in. My husband used to take him to the side and tell him ‘that hurts mummy’s feelings’ meanwhile I would be in the room with the door closed pretending to be upset lol. He would come in and say sorry, we cuddle and then we let him play with dad without rejecting mum. It took maybe 2 months but he’s stopped it now. It also will switch and they’ll favour you over dad and you should do the same. At 3, they’re socially perceptive and aware so this needs to be nipped while they’re young so they don’t become little bullies lol.

My son has been through this too, all for dad. We had another boy and his dad jokes around a bit about ‘the boys’ and our eldest took it a bit too serious and got a bit horrible with me and didn’t let me do anything. We didn’t change much, like you tried to brush past it. Made sure dad wasn’t going against me and was telling him it was just a joke etc, and then I tried when possible to have some one on one time with him out somewhere. It is just a phase, and a really tough age if you ask me x

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