Child Wants To Stay Home All The Time

Dear parents,

The short answer is: Get a baby sitter. This way, each person can decide for herself.

However, if you believe your child would benefit from getting out of the house and being together as a family, then the question is not your need, or who decides. Instead the question is what drives your child’s choice to stay at home. 

Can you find what is so unattractive for her in getting out of the house? Is she scared of something? Did she have a painful experience? Did she hear about something that she assumes can occur when away from the house? Is she uncomfortable in her outdoors clothes? Does leaving the house mean that she won’t get the attention she is getting in the house? Does she hate the car? Are the activities you offer away from home not to her liking? Do you, parents, talk to each other a lot when away from home, or to other adults, and she feels bored or not getting as much one-on-one connection? 

On the home side, the questions can be a few as well: Is it the home or what she does at home that keeps her in? Is it computer? TV? Passive easy entertainment? Do you spend more time directly with her when at home? There can be more questions that can be asked. There is an answer, or a few, to your daughter’s valid need to stay at home. 

Find what drives her need to stay at home, so you can make going out fitting for her direction, and take care of any fear, addictions, or misconceptions. In other words, change what is available in and out of the house so the going out becomes attractive.

If non of these seem to be the answer, the original simple solution is fine. It is possible that this is just a phase. It will pass if you let it be. Get a baby sitter or grandma to stay with your child, and go out without her.

Warmly, http://authenticparent.com/index.html