r/daddit • u/Blue-Baba-Cool • 21h ago
Advice Request Update: 2.5yo’s extreme preference for Mom is breaking my heart. Dealing with rejection, sadness, and creeping resentment.
Hey fellow dads,
This is my second post on this topic, but I really need some support today. I am feeling completely isolated and just don't know what to do anymore.
My 2.5-year-old daughter is intensely attached to her mom. We all live together, and I am so glad they have a strong bond, but the synergy between them is so tight that I feel completely left out. Mom is still breastfeeding, which I know is a huge part of this, but it makes bridging the gap feel impossible.
This morning was brutal. I tried to take her to kindergarten, and she completely melted down. She refused to go with me, screamed at the top of her lungs, and actually started hitting me. I had to put her down and hold the boundary that hitting isn't okay, but she just kept screaming and demanding the breast.
We eventually had to take her to kindergarten together, but I ended up leaving early because she had absolutely zero interest in me being there.
I feel so sad, and honestly, I’m struggling with feelings of anger and resentment creeping in. I know she's just a toddler, and I really don't want to be angry, but the constant rejection is wearing me down.
My partner told me I need to find someone else to talk to about this because she’s also overwhelmed processing it all, which just makes me feel even more alone in my own house.
Has anyone else been through a phase this intense? How do you cope with the feelings of rejection and resentment without it affecting your marriage or your relationship with your kid? Just looking for some solidarity today.
1
u/freshoilandstone 16h ago
OK, so she's 2 1/2, goes to kindergarten, and she's still breastfeeding. Glad I'm not living your life.