My 3.5 year old in the past 2 weeks has suddenly developed serious separation anxiety. I cannot even go to the bathroom alone or leave his sight without him dissolving into tears. Nighttime has become a struggle as it takes a long time for me to get him down and leave the room (he says he needs to come with me) and then he wakes up in the middle of the night and screams until he comes to sleep with me.

He has never been super independent, but has always happily played on his own before, and we have had just the normal sleep struggles.

Is this a normal developmental thing 3 year olds develop? Any advice on how you helped your kid with this stage?