I am a lone parent with a normally happy and relaxed 16 month old boy. He is sociable and is not at all clingy. He has always spent time away from me with friends/babysitters and now has a lovely childminder and is very happy. But on the odd occasion in the last few months when I have taken him with me to meet a friend for coffee/lunch in a cafe he has had a complete melt down each time.
Like today - I took him to meet his godfather for lunch in a local restaurant he has been in very happily with just me. He was fine until godfather and I started chatting and attention moved from him - we didn't ignore him - I was still interacting with him but not giving him 100 percent attention. He started grizzling, playing up, trying to grab everything off the table, refused to eat, drink water or milk, wouldn't be settled by cuddles or being taken outside. He has done this 3 times when I have tried to meet different girlfriends. And he also did it when we went to a daytime bbq where there were adults and childrent. He goes from unhappy to complete melt down very quickly and the result it I have to leave. The moment I leave he calms down and then is happy again.
I feel so angry and upset as I so rarely go out and each time recently he has ruined the day. I work just 3 days a week and he has me to himself 4 days a week. I love him very much but this behaviour is driving me to despair. My friend thinks it is because he isn;t used to having to share me. Is this true do you think? If so - any ideas what I can do to get him used to sharing me? We can't go on like this - I feel like I am going to end up never seeing my friends. Or only seeing them when I don't have him with me and then they won't get to know him and he won;t ever learn to share me. Advice pulllllleeeeeeeezzzzze!!!
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Behaviour/development
Help! 16 month old has melt down when I take him to meet my friends
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shelm · 06/08/2011 20:13
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