How to deal with the "I want to go home" Whinge?

[Zil131]

DS1 is 2.11, and (admittedly) has got away with a lot more whinging than is acceptable because DS2 came along and was a poor sleeper, and I couldn't be bothered to fight it
However now we are clamping down on "whinging does not get you what you want", but I get stuck when we are out...

Generally when we meet up with friends and thier kids (so children he knows, but he doesn't particularly have 'friends'), at playdates, the park, playgroup etc; within 20 mins he's hanging off my clothes, pulling my arm, and whining "I want to go home". I've tried to persevere with whereever we are, but I just look a fool trying to keep a toddler in a playgroup when he doesn't want to be there.

I'm not denying that I'm probably ignoring him, because I want him to play on his own / with other children for a bit; and because DH works away at lot, and it's often the only chance I get for adult conversation...

Help / advice please

Does your DS actually want to go home or is does he mean "stop talking to your friends and play with me"? Obviously its completely understandable that you want to catch up with other adults and for your DS to play independently a little but would it help if you got him involved in something/played with him for a bit and then sloped off for a chat? And then took a firm line on the whingeing along lines of "we aren't going home yet, mummy is talking to her friends now for a little bit".

I expect you have tried that already!My DC are school age now but I always liked to be out with mine a lot when there were pre school age and was desperate for adult conversation so sympathies...

Thanks Kamer.
I do think it's attention he wants more than home, although I suppose at home he would get the attention!
I guess I need to try to balance the chatting / playing with him ratio at bit better. At least I would get some chatting then!

my 3 year old dd gets very tired and when we are out moans saying she wants to go home, usually when I am talking to someone else, no advice really, but I just try to get her interested in something to keep her mind off it.