What To Do When Your 4-Year-Old Is Suddenly Clingy?

4 is the age when children start becoming independent. They might start to want more mommy-free time to avoid listening to “no” all the time. By the time when you think that you are going to have more free time, your 4-year-old is suddenly clingy.

To be honest, by being “clingy,” your child is trying to communicate. Although 4-year-olds are already verbal and can tell you what they feel, but they are still too young. At this age, when they are stressed, they may not understand what’s happening, and they will become clingy.

Instead of being fed up, try to understand what’s wrong and figure out the solution.

Your 4-year-old will become clingy all of a sudden for several different reasons. Read them below and find out what is the reason behind your situation.

Here are the most common reasons:

Being over-tired or underfed:

Being over-tired or hungry is the most common reason for 4-year-olds to change their behavior. They will cry over little things and become clingy.

Has your child get enough sleep?
Did he have a long day without rest?
Did you have guests at your home?
How well has he been eating?
What has he been eating?
Did he have too much sugar?

Ensure that your child is getting quality sleep. Don’t just count the hours. Instead, notice whether he is sleeping soundly or not.

You must do a few things to ensure your child is sleeping and eating well.

Give him a balanced diet.
Cut processed sugar and give him more natural sugar (bananas, dates, etc.)
Increase water intake
The room where he goes to sleep should be quiet and dark.
He must have a regular sleeping routine and schedule.
Cut screen time, especially 2-3 hours before bedtime

Teething:

Teething is a common problem with toddlers. Yes! This phase ends by the time a toddler is around 2 years old. But at age 4, a kid’s first molars may start erupting. Although you won’t see them now, they may start to irritate the child.

Teething may make your 4-year-old uncomfortable and clingy. If he also has a mild fever (without a sore throat or other symptoms), it can signify that molars are on their way.

Growth spurt:

No one grows at a steady pace. Your child will be the same size for a few weeks, then the growth spurt will hit, and he will be a little taller. These growth spurts will make your 4-year-old clingy all of a sudden.

Besides physical growth, mental growth will make your child clingy for some time.

Give your little one some time. Give him the attention he is seeking.

Reflection of your own behavior:

Have you ever noticed that when you are stressed and want to be alone, your child will stick to you and whine all the time? While if you are happy, your child will be excited and happy about everything.

Parents’ feelings and behavior magically reflect in the children’s behavior. When you are stressed, your child will become clingy.

Moreover, if you constantly shout or yell at your little one, he will become more clingy.

So, the simple solution is to take care of yourself. Give yourself time and care. Don’t feel bad for asking for help. Meditate and exercise. Eat healthily.

A happy mom raises a happy child.

Stress or overwhelmingness:

Kids also become stressed. Start of school, a new sibling, guests who are staying for a long time, irregular schedules, busy parents, and not getting enough physical activity, these kinds of things will put your child under stress.

With all the increasing chaos, your little one may be overwhelmed.

In a situation of stress and overwhelmingness, your child will naturally become more problematic and clingy.

Ensure to put your child on a regular schedule. Get him storybooks and his favorite toys. Take himself to the nearby park at least once a week.

Fear:

As your child grows up, he becomes more informed about society. With all the dangers around us, your child may feel fear.

As he will know what kidnapping is, what death is, or what are the dangers of fire, electricity, etc., your little one will seek security from you.

Moreover, kids get nightmares or become afraid of the dark. They get different kinds of fears and phobias.

Be with your child, and ask him what’s wrong. Show him the good side of society. Tell him how we all grow up living in the same society. Pass him the power you have. Give him a sense of security.

Separation or stranger anxiety:

Separation or stranger anxiety can make your 4-year-old clingy all of a sudden.

The sense of being away from the mom, leaving for school, mom leaving for the job, insecurity because of a new sibling, not getting parent’s attention because of guests, all these things may cause your little one to have separation anxiety.

Similarly, stranger anxiety can also be a reason for your 4-year-old to become suddenly clingy. He has been encountering a lot of strangers on an event, he will become clingy to his parents to seek security.

Typically signs of anxiety in kids are:

Afraid of sleeping alone
Whining all the time
Repeated nightmares
Refusing to go away from parents
Reluctant to spend time alone
Not entertaining other close family members like grandparents or uncles

Seek medical help in this case.

Abuse:

In rare cases, sudden clinginess in kids can signify abuse. Talk to your child. Look around. Talk to the teacher.

Do your best to figure out if the sudden clinginess in your 4-year-old is because of physical or emotional abuse or not.

Do your best to help your child. Take the essential steps as soon as possible.

Summary:

When your 4-year-old, a happy and independent child, suddenly becomes clingy, he is trying to communicate something but doesn’t know how to do it verbally.

Is he over-tired?
Is it a growth spurt?
What is your behavior with him?
Is he stressed?
Is he fearful?
What about anxiety?

As a parent, you must be with your child and understand what’s wrong with him. Avoid the “go away” behavior and solve your little one’s problem.
Read more:Why does your 4-year-old cry about everything? (solution)