Q: my one-year-old daughter has become very clingy and cries when I leave the room. Is this normal, and what should I do, as she starts nursery soon?

A: Child psychologist Dr Pat Spungin, founder of the parenting website raisingkids, says: "Yes, it's normal behaviour, related to the temperament and personality of your daughter.

"Such behaviour usually starts at eight or nine months of age, and peaks at around a year before subsiding at around 18 months to give way to independence and assertion.

"It stems from the fact that your little girl is attached to you and spends most of her time with you.

"You need to deal with it in a slow, steady way, and if she cries when you leave the room, first of all get her used to being separate from you when you're in the same room. Put more distance between you until she eventually gets used to being independent, and establish a routine so she can be sure that if you leave the room, you'll come back.

"This often coincides with when a mum is returning to work and she has to leave a howling child with someone else, which is very distressing.

"The child often doesn't know the person she's left with at nursery, so make the handover as gentle as possible, and let baby get used to her new carer while you're still there."