How much does your 11mo need playing with?

[BotBotticelli]

Just that really...DS seems to nee an awful lot of interaction with me when we are at home.

Doesn't often seem happy to play by himsel for more than 3-4 mins. Always wants me to bold him towers to knock down, play wth cars on the floor, help him put soft animals in his little train, play with a ball etc etc.

He is not clingy as such, and crawls off without a backward glance when we go to playgroups. It's just he seems to prefer playing with me rather than on his own at home.

Is this normal? Will it change as he grows older? I don't mind it but it means I hardly get anything done at all round the house all day!! He only has 2 x 45 min naps per day and in those I tend to collapse on the sofa with a brew...!

Totally normal. My second child is this age now and she's either attached to my hip or playing with me. Go with it, get out of the house to give yourself a break and he will start breaking off to do his own thing in good time. My 3yo happily plays by himself for good stretches of time but it took a few months for him to ease into it.

Yeah I say normal too. Frustrating though isn't it? DS2 is 22 months and just about able to play for about 20 minutes or so on his own but even then he still keeps looking up at me and saying what he's playing with and expecting me to comment on it and repeat what he's just said .

I assume it's normal anyway, our DS1 was the same til he was about 3 too....even now age 6 he never goes to play in his room, always wants to be in the same room as us even though he doesn't want us to play with him, he still expects constant input and talks incessantly!

Ah thanks good to know its normal. So hard to know what's right or wrong with your first isn't it? Doesn't help that people like my mum are telling me that I am making rod for my back by playing with him all the time, he will meet be able to play by himself, be totally spoilt etc etc. thanks mum...!!

hi BotBot DD isn't like this, since she got mobile she mostly is happy pottering and playing with her toys by herself - apart from when she is ill or teething when she needs endless stories read to her and carrying around a lot. I expect she'd like it if I played with her more though

Hey minipie wondered if you would turn up on this thread! All we need now is for chocolateyclaire to turn up and our trio of very similar DCs will be complete!!

Although it sounds like this is one way in which our little ones are different!! I did wonder if he might be cutting his first molar though: as well as the constant needing attention, he has been very grizzly last few days and have resorted to cuddling in my arms whilst standing in front of Ceebeebies as a last resort a few times when all else has failed to stop the wingey crying...! Has fingers constantly in his mouth too and is dribbling lots so I do wonder (and he has all 8 front teeth top and bottom so molars will be next...)

I'm not stalking you honest

oh I think we have molars coming too! grumpy DD yesterday and she keeps trying to shove her fingers to the back of her mouth - quite often gags herself in the process she has all 8 front teeth too, well the 8th isn't quite through but very close. But it's too early for molars isn't it? Does this mean there will be months of grumping (and rubbish sleep) before they come through... argh!