A (too) tight family unit?

My husband and I are the type of parents who really enjoy being with our child. We travel with him, we shop with him, we go to restaurants with him, and get ready for this….we even share our bed with him. Friends and family used to tell us all the time that we needed to “get out more” or “take a break”, but we are happy. We get out plenty and yes, I could use a break, but couldn’t any mom…….or dad, for that matter?

Lately it seems that our son is extra attached to us. He won’t go 5 minutes without calling for me if I am not in sight. If I go to the garage, he follows. If I go upstairs for a second and tell him to wait because I’ll be right back, I turn around and he is halfway up the stairs. If I run outside to throw out the trash, grab something from the car, or get the mail, he is waiting by the front door when I come in.

Now when my husband leaves the house or the car or goes upstairs to work, our son has started calling for him too. He says “dada dada dada” until I explain to him that I’m here and daddy is doing whatever it is he is doing. This is a new thing. I thought the height of separation anxiety peaked at 18 months and steadily declined at this point (21 months). Am I wrong? Or is something else going on?

It could be teething, but I’m not sure. He chews on things and has his finger in his mouth pretty often lately and has had some crankiness, but nothing too unusual. The velcro-factor has hit an all time high though. I know my little guy is still very young and even though he looks like he should be starting kindergarten next week, he is really still just a big baby. I do sometimes wonder if there is such a thing as too attached though?

Don’t get me wrong, I love the fact that we are such a tight-knit family. Being together all the time could definitely do that to you. Our son is very bright and happy, has a great personality and sense of humor, loves to be around other people and interact with them, but it seems that it all just disappears when I do.

I feel so badly about this. I want him to be secure and confident when I’m not around and I just don’t understand why he isn’t.  I have never given him any reason not to be. Quite the contrary, actually…..