9 month old ds prefers playing independently

[Aworryingtrend]

Since DS was born he has never been a cuddly baby-even from a few weeks old he would crane his head to see what was going on elsewhere. Now he's older and crawling he just doesn't seem to want to play with me . Every day I try sitting him on my knee to sing a few sings, play peekaboo and nursery rhymes etc but he just squirms to be down. if I am on the floor trying to play with him he just crawls away . Just to compound my feelings of being redundant he is showing no signs at all of separation anxiety- I had a domestic emergency the other day and had to leave him for a couple of hours with my grandma who he only sees every 2 weeks and he was happy as larry.
I am just worried that this isn't 'normal'- friends whose babies are the same age seem much more affectionate or willing to at least sit still at any rate. My mum says I was never a cuddly baby and was independent from birth but im not sure if she's just trying to make me feel better. I suppose I am worried deep down that I've created this level of independence- from quite young I would leave him for a few minutes at a time in his play gym or in his bouncy chair whilst I was in the kitchen washing bottles etc. But he was always si happy he has never cried at being on his own for a few minutes except around 5 months old when he was getting frustrated at not sitting up.
I'm not sure what im asking really. Just whether its a bad sign that ds seems to prefer playing on his own to with me?

My DS wasn't really particularly affectionate until he was over two (except if he was ill, then he was a limpet). Now, at 2.8, he volunteers kisses and cuddles and tells me he loves me all the time. It's great! I think also your lo may be a little young for separation anxiety. DS was fine going to nursery and to my Mum when I went back to work when he was 8mo but started to get upset and clingy at handover around 15 months. Don't worry about it and enjoy this bit of being able to leave him guilt free knowing that he's not upset, because it doesn't last forever! Only last week I sat in the car weeping because DS had been sob upset when I left him at nursery - and he really does love it once he's there

Hey OP, sending you some sympathy and empathy - my little boy sounds just like yours. He is a bit younger, 7.5 months old, and not crawling yet, but he is the same. Currently does not wanna be held or cuddled, wont sit still on my lap to look at a book or sing a song...he is close to crawling and really wants to spend his whole day writhing around on the floor like a little loon trying to move!!

Please don't worry about it being something you have done, I am sure it is not. He sounds like a lovely, inquisitive, confident little boy who is a testament to how well you are raising him. he will deffo go through more clingy phases as he gets older, and then you will miss these times when you could have a shower without a toddler howling and pulling on the shower curtain!

In the meantime, instead of trying to make him sit on your knee if he's not keen, could you try and find other ways of engaging him? My DS wont sit peacefully on my lap but will roar with laughter if I roll around on the floor with him and have a little game of 'rough and tumble' where I throw him around a bit, blow raspberries on his tummy, tickle him like mad, and generally act like a loon myself . Can you swoop him up in your arms and play a very knackering physicaly game of peekaboo in a mirror or something? We have a mirror in our hallway and I sometimes play peekaboo with DS by doing sudent squats whilst holding him, so he disappears from view, before practially throwing him up in the hair and yelling 'PEEEEEPOOOOO'....he bloody loves it, the crazy monkey!