We have one granddaughter who is nearly 5. I care for her at least twice a week and she has spent quite a lot of time with us on her own over the years. I am very close to her and we have a very affectionate relationship. Although my husband is a (mostly) quiet and always gentle though firm person (I am also quite strict) our granddaughter has always been slightly wary of him, even as a small baby, being reluctant to get close to him physicially. We thought perhaps because of wiskers at one time, or maybe just sort of instictive male/female difference thing. As she has got older it seems to be increasing and although she talks about him a lot and looks forward to him coming home from work, after the first excited moments she will often become a little bit spiteful towards him. This week she has been staying with me all week while he has been away but returned yesterday and tonight it was difficult getting her to go to bed. Eventually after a promise of a story from him she went up, but it seems she was again being awkward and he says "nasty" with him and he finally snapped and told her she was horrible and he didn't want anything to do with her. He says its been going on for so long now and he feels especially over the past year and I can see that it hurts him terribly. We don't really know what to do about it.
Scottish island ferries debacle. 🏴