How to help with jealousy

My daughter is almost 5 and she adores my S/O and he her. She isn't jealous when he and I go out and she stays with her Nana or my mom or anything and she's not acting out or anything. But if my S/O and I are cuddling on the couch she has to climb right in between us, even if she was content doing something else. She can't sit next to me or him, she has to be right between us. And it drives us nuts because 1, that means we can't cuddle, and 2, she fidgets and it's seriously irritating.

Any ideas? S/O and I have already made plans for each of us to set aside a bit of alone time where she has 100% of our attention, and I'm considering trying for us to have group cuddle time for a little while before asking her to switch seats or encouraging her to go do whatever she was doing before.

Sounds like that might be the way to go. I think she just wants to feel included and if you do the inclusion with her before she just barges right in she may be all the happier for it becasue then it wasnt her idea to get attention it was the 2 of yours idea to give her the attention. She should also understand that since you guys had cuddle time with her that you would also like to have cuddle time while she is playing too so since the 3 of you cuddled for so long now it is you and SO turn to cuddle while she plays or whatever. If none of that works you may need to leave the cuddling together for after she is in bed. But it sounds as if you are already on the right track to curing the jelousy issue. And I honestly dont think it is jelousy I think it is just her wanting the attention of both of you are the same time and it works out best for her when you 2 are cuddling.

Sounds like setting up some alone time is the way to go. I wouldn't want my child feeling unwanted, rejected or something!

It might be the age thing because my daughter is almost 5 and she does the exact same thing. It's worse if he has been at work and ends up staying late by just an hour. If the separate attention time works for you let me know we might start trying that and seeing if that helps. I just get tired of not being able to sit with my DH without my kid separating us or would like to hug him without her charging in to do group hug.

My son does the same smurf lmao. He'll break us apart whenever he sees us hugging or cuddling, then tries to hug one of us to make the other jealous  

Quoting Regina Stevenson:" Sounds like that might be the way to go. I think she just wants to feel included and if you do the inclusion ... [snip!] ... it is just her wanting the attention of both of you are the same time and it works out best for her when you 2 are cuddling."

Saving the cuddling for after bedtime won't work, I don't see him. I go to bed around 8pm, he comes home from work at 11pm and comes to bed without waking me. I get up at 4:30am and leave for work at 5am. I get home at 4:30 pm, he gets home a few minutes later and then goes back to work at 6:15pm. That hr & half is all the time we get a day for 12 days in a row.

I think it's jealousy, or at least.... needing to be included when we're doing something without her. Because we have dinner as soon as he gets home and we eat together and talk about what she did in school and just have family time, then we go watch a movie or a tv show.

I'm also thinking about maybe playing a game together one or two nights a week, partially to avoid the cuddling issue and partially because I don't want us to have all of our family time vegged out in front of the tube.

Quoting Sweetie-Pie:" Sounds like setting up some alone time is the way to go. I wouldn't want my child feeling unwanted, rejected or something! "

Yeah, she gets so sad when we ask her to move  

Quoting April L Chapman:" It might be the age thing because my daughter is almost 5 and she does the exact same thing. It's worse ... [snip!] ... not being able to sit with my DH without my kid separating us or would like to hug him without her charging in to do group hug."

Will do!

Quoting £egendary £ex:" My son does the same smurf lmao. He'll break us apart whenever he sees us hugging or cuddling, then tries to hug one of us to make the other jealous  "

Roco you snot omg  

Maybe it's an age thing since that's you and Daddy. I was worried it's because Michael is the first boyfriend I've brought around and kissed and cuddled with in front of Ev.

Quoting 12.21.07¤04.18.13:" Roco you snot omg   Maybe it's an age thing since that's you and Daddy. I was worried it's because Michael is the first boyfriend I've brought around and kissed and cuddled with in front of Ev."

I was wondering if it was normal too but apparently from these responses it is   I would try not to worry about it TOO much

Quoting £egendary £ex:" I was wondering if it was normal too but apparently from these responses it is   I would try not to worry about it TOO much"

I hope she grows out of it. She's so twitchy. Drives me NUTS.

Also I just realized I skipped a c. I do know how to spell your kid's name, promise  

Quoting 12.21.07¤04.18.13:" I hope she grows out of it. She's so twitchy. Drives me NUTS."

LOL. I'm sure they will. Hopefully  

Quoting 12.21.07¤04.18.13:" Also I just realized I skipped a c. I do know how to spell your kid's name, promise  "

whew, okay I was a little worried   bahahha