Meghan Trainor Found The Sweetest Way To Help Her Son Through Separation Anxiety

Aug 19, 2026 by apost team

As every parent knows, childhood milestones don’t always come with picture-perfect moments. Alongside first words, first days of school and growing independence, new fears often come — and for Meghan Trainor, one of those has been helping her eldest son navigate separation anxiety.

The Grammy-winning singer has never been shy about sharing the realities of motherhood. Whether she’s talking about pregnancy, postpartum recovery or raising three young children with husband Daryl Sabara, Trainor has built a reputation for showing both the joyful and challenging sides of parenting.

Her family has grown quickly over the past few years. Trainor and the “Spy Kids” actor are parents to sons Riley and Barry Bruce, as well as their baby daughter, Mikey Moon. As their children grow, each stage has brought its own learning experiences, something Trainor has often documented with honesty and humor.

She’s previously reflected on feeling isolated while pregnant during the COVID-19 pandemic, later opening up in her book “Dear Future Mama” about complications including gestational diabetes, blood clots and the emotional challenges of becoming a first-time mother. She has also spoken about the overwhelming joy of watching Riley become more expressive as he grew older, recalling the moment he finally recognized her and greeted her with what she described as “running hugs,” as reported by PEOPLE.

Now 5 years old, Riley has reached another emotional milestone. According to Trainor, he’s recently been experiencing separation anxiety, leading him to find comfort in something many children instinctively turn to during difficult moments — his favorite stuffed animals.

Little did Trainor know, those cuddly companions would inspire one of the sweetest parenting ideas she’s ever shared with fans.

In a recent Instagram video, Trainor explained that Riley had begun assigning special roles to his stuffed animals whenever he missed her.

“My sweet 5-year-old boy is having separation anxiety, so he’s started using his stuffies, his Smurfette, and was like, ‘This is mama, this is mama,’” she shared.

Watching her son search for comfort gave the singer an idea she couldn’t resist bringing to life.

Rather than simply reassuring him with words, Trainor decided to create something he could hold onto whenever they were apart. The result was a custom stuffed doll modeled after herself, complete with her signature short blonde hair, glasses and familiar smile.

“The thing is, I did, and he loves it,” she said. “He kisses it, he hugs it.”

The video captured Riley lovingly cuddling the doll before Trainor asked if he thought it looked like her.

“Yup,” he replied without hesitation.

Trainor couldn’t help laughing as she pointed out one tiny detail that made the resemblance even funnier.

“It even has my thin hair,” she joked.

Fans immediately fell in love with the heartfelt gesture, with one commenting, “It does look like you though 😂,” while another wrote, “We need these as merch 🙌.”

For Trainor, however, the sweetest moment wasn’t the online reaction. It was seeing Riley hug, kiss and find comfort in a little doll that reminded him of his mom whenever she wasn’t nearby — a simple idea born out of love that turned separation anxiety into an unforgettable family memory.

apost.com

Have you ever come up with a creative way to comfort a child who missed you? Let us know all your favorite parenting moments, and pass this story along to someone who'll appreciate this heartwarming idea!