Missing her dad?

My ex and I divorced back in March, he moved at the end of July...my daughter wasn't ever close to him even though he was in the same house because he ignored her. Anyways, she never ever ever talks about him...But I've noticed that when she's naming stuffed animals, she tends to ONLY call them "Daddy" she will name them, but she will say "That's a Daddy owl/cat/dog" When I ask if there is a mommy- she's like "yeah" as an afterthought...could this be her way of coping with not having a dad around? Even though she wasn't close to him at all and hasn't mentioned him specifically since he moved out?

It could be. I'd just let her work through it with her play. lots of young children work through their issues through play. Don't disrupt it.

I noticed my son doing that a lot, and he never really knew his father at all. I think he definitely felt that void, probably from hearing other kids talk about their mommies AND daddies. Like if we'd see a mommy and a baby animal he'd ask where the daddy was.

Then DH came around...I'll never forget, one day we were at the park and he noticed a family of ducks. He pointed and said, "There's the Mommy duck. There's the baby ducks." And then he pointed to another duck off to the side and added, "There's the Bobby duck!" (Bobby is DH's name.) Then he gradually started calling DH Daddy.

<blockquote><b>Quoting Lizplustwo:</b>" I noticed my son doing that a lot, and he never really knew his father at all. I think he definitely ... [snip!] ... duck off to the side and added, "There's the Bobby duck!" (Bobby is DH's name.) Then he gradually started calling DH Daddy."</blockquote>


Awwe   that's too sweet!

<blockquote><b>Quoting Lizplustwo:</b>" I noticed my son doing that a lot, and he never really knew his father at all. I think he definitely ... [snip!] ... duck off to the side and added, "There's the Bobby duck!" (Bobby is DH's name.) Then he gradually started calling DH Daddy."</blockquote>


Oh my goodness, that's so cute. ^.^

Quoting Lizplustwo:" I noticed my son doing that a lot, and he never really knew his father at all. I think he definitely ... [snip!] ... duck off to the side and added, "There's the Bobby duck!" (Bobby is DH's name.) Then he gradually started calling DH Daddy."

Awww That's adorable! DD slips and calls my bf Daddy a lot...he's a bigger part of her life than her father ever was, so I understand it- but I don't know what to do...should I correct her and tell her to call him by his name, or just leave it alone? My bf used to correct her but he doesn't anymore, but I don't want to confuse her because she sees her real dad once every couple weeks for a couple hours...I'm just confused haha

Quoting lolajessup:" It could be. I'd just let her work through it with her play. lots of young children work through their issues through play. Don't disrupt it."

It sounds like it's pretty typical then? Good.

<blockquote><b>Quoting ~*~Modern*Day*Delilah~*~:</b>" Awww That's adorable! DD slips and calls my bf Daddy a lot...he's a bigger part of her life than her ... [snip!] ... I don't want to confuse her because she sees her real dad once every couple weeks for a couple hours...I'm just confused haha "</blockquote>

I would leave it alone. My dad died when I was 2 and my parents said they heard me a few times try to call my step dad "dad" but ultimately it always stuck as steve. So just let her figure it out as long as you and your bf are comfortable with it. If u don't want to push it still call him by his name when referring to him. That way he won't be confused.