DD (3.6) and DS (1.8) are going through a real phase of wanting to have me exclusively to themselves. DS is worse. He will run to me shouting "Mummy! Me! No [DD's name]!". If DD is on my lap reading a story, he will often come over and try and push her off to get on. And DD reacts by doing much the same. When she wakes up the first thing she does is shout for me - "I want to have a cuddle with Mummy! Me, not DS!". I feel for her, as often she loses out on cuddles as I can reason with her (to an extent!) whereas DS just screams.
DD gets 2 hours every day that we're just the two of us, when DS is asleep, and DS has one afternoon of just me a week when DD is at pre-school without him. They go to nursery together two whole days while I'm at work. She loves nursery; DS isn't exactly unhappy, more like resigned to it.
I get that DS is going through separation anxiety and is not being 'naughty', and I understand that it's hard for DD as she wants to have cuddles too and gets jealous of DS. They have a good relationship most of the time, are kind to one another and play together quite a bit for their ages.
But I am increasingly finding it hard to deal with. If I try and remain strong and finish doing something with DD, DS lies on the floor screaming and sobbing until I pick him up. Last night, for example, DP was out so I put them to bed by myself. I read DS his story while DD pottered around the bedroom chatting. Then I went to read DD her story and DS screamed, tried to grab the book out of my hand, and when he was ignored went to a corner and screamed for the duration. I would try and have them have a story together, but DS will only have to the Gruffalo at the moment and DD is a bit bored of it and wants something about dinosaurs most nights. I went downstairs after they were asleep and had a bit of a cry about not being able to make them happy and whether this is the way their relationship is going to be. Which is probably over-reacting, but it's upsetting me.
DP is getting upset by it too, as the competition for Mummy means that neither of them want to have cuddles or anything with him while I'm around.
Does anyone have any tips on how to deal with this?!