Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

My almost 4 year old is draining!

1 reply

Mumma971 · 16/05/2025 10:33

I hope someone can help or has any ideas….

my DS will be 4 in August and my god he is the clingiest child! He’s an only child but hangs off me constantly, I can’t seem to clean without him “mummy, mum, mummy” I’ve tried getting him to join in but he gets bored and just wants something else to do. He doesn’t play with toys or if he does he wants me or his dad to play with him constantly. We’ve tried the 10 minute play then “mummy and daddy have a few jobs and will be back” but he will just get up and follow us🤦🏻‍♀️ - he goes to pre pre 2 times a week and loves school, teachers have no concern about him. But once he comes home he’s all over me and won’t give me 5 minutes piece. We even got him a climbing frame and trampoline to distract him in the garden for 10 minutes but NOPE he wants us to sit outside while he plays!

The last few weeks my mum (his nanny) was even like that’s getting so bad. I’m drained, I’m constantly in a bad mood because I just don’t get a minute. I feel awful saying this but I’ve reached out to the HV and was basically dismissed. I love him so much but that boy needs to learn how to independently play by himself and give us a 5 minutes breather.

would anyone have any suggestions?
Thank you 🤩

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
NJLX2021 · 16/05/2025 10:59

Have you tried putting music on when he plays? Worked quite well for my boy. He seemed much happier playing by himself if it wasn't silent.

Also gradually moving away worked well to teach him. Starting play together.. then you need to go grab something, then you need to go to toilet.. then go do something for 5 minutes.. 10 minutes.. etc. little by little, longer and longer. And then after a while he didn't realise that he was happily playing by himself.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page