The see-you-soon game

Throughout the second year your toddler will swing back and forth constantly between fierce independence and clinging to you, sometimes within the same afternoon — both halves of that swing are real, not a phase to talk them out of. Brief separations from you may help your toddler become more independent, especially when the same short phrase and the same quick return happen every time.

🛡️ Keep the room you leave them in childproofed, and stay within earshot the whole time — this is a practice game, not real unsupervised time. A few seconds up to a minute is the whole exercise; if the crying doesn't settle almost right away, go back rather than waiting it out.