Q: I am a working mother of a nine-month-old girl. I went back to work after my daughter was four months old. However, the past couple of months she has become extremely "clingy". As soon as she sees me she wants me to pick her up and carry her. At times she has cried for up to 10 minutes if I'm busy preparing dinner or doing other household tasks. She won't stop crying unless I pick her up. It's only with me that she behaves like this. When I'm not around she's happy playing on the floor with my husband. But as soon as she hears my voice or catches a glimpse of me, she turns cranky and will start crying non-stop. Thankfully, my husband is a great father. He takes her to the childcare centre, since I have to leave for work very early in the morning. I know she has a good time at the childcare centre because once or twice I've dropped in unannounced and stood and watched her. But as soon as she spots me, she falls apart and bursts into tears if I don't pick her up immediately. At outings and parties she refuses to let me out of her sight. At dinner parties I'm sometimes forced to eat standing up, holding her in my arms, because I prefer not to let her cry. This is causing me a great deal of frustration. I'm also exhausted from constantly looking after her when I'm around her. Please help before I go crazy. -Sue Waugh, Reading