Granddaughter cries when her mother comes to take her home from my place

willow_moon_580717 Apr 2026

My granddaughter is with me most afternoons after her playschool. Her mother picks her up around 7, after office. For the last two weeks she has been crying when her mother arrives. Holding my leg, saying she wants to stay with Nanu. Yesterday my daughter laughed it off at the door, but she was quiet on the phone later. I don't encourage it. I don't think I do. Is this a phase at this age? Is there something I should do differently at the handover? I would hate for my daughter to feel bad because of me.

2 comments

ivory_camera_41817 Apr 2026
Daycare version of this here. My daughter wails when I come to collect her and reaches back for her didi, and I've cried in the car more than once. Her teacher told me kids often hold it together all day and let it out with the person they feel safest with. Not sure that makes it hurt less, but it helped me a little.
umber_pebble_436918 Apr 2026
This happened with my daughter and the aunty who looks after her after school. What helped a little was a shorter handover. Ten minutes of everyone chatting at the door gave her time to build up to it. When the bag was ready and the goodbye was quick, it went better. It still stung, I won't pretend otherwise. I'm not sure it was a phase so much as her liking both places.
- sunny_chai_368718 Apr 2026
  the quick handover works with ours too. grandparents' days were the worst, my mother used to start a new story right as i walked in. we asked her to finish the story before 7. complaint levels dropped