Is this a normal reaction to grandparents leaving after a visit?

[Anonymous]

My parents left on Thursday after a ten day visit. DC loves when they visit but seems fine when they leave. But this morning he started crying because he was worried his nanny wasn’t coming back. He’s done this before after visits with both sets of grandparents and never worries or cry’s about nanny leaving or not being here any other time.

Is it some kind of transference? His nanny is the most reliable human on the planet and never has missed a scheduled day or has ever even been late.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My parents left on Thursday after a ten day visit. DC loves when they visit but seems fine when they leave. But this morning he started crying because he was worried his nanny wasn’t coming back. He’s done this before after visits with both sets of grandparents and never worries or cry’s about nanny leaving or not being here any other time.

Is it some kind of transference? His nanny is the most reliable human on the planet and never has missed a scheduled day or has ever even been late.

He’s almost 4, btw.

[Anonymous]

I think so. Little kids experience “missing” differently than we do. Your child sees people he loves come and go with no control. He/she knows nanny isn’t his immediate family anymore than grandma is.

[Anonymous]

Seems like he's trying to understand grandma visiting vs nanny coming everyday and it's confusing. He'll figure it out. I'd say his distress indicates a strong loving bond to nanny which is great.