Is this normal for 19 week old boys??? help.....

[hippy3]

is this normal....?? My twin boys shout/ scream the minute I leave the room.... literally if I go to make a cup of tea/ make their bottles...etc etc...they scream for me to come back in (which I do, but dont pick them up..I know accidental parenting and all that) but I thought they were meant to be able to entertain them selves at this point...tahts what the books say!!...they are ok when im in the room.....Is this normal.... ?? shoud I just be letting them cry for five/ ten minutes...they just get sooo Wound up...!! Or should I not be stressing about it too much.... ?

Also is it possible for children this age to have strops?? I am not joking,...If I cuddle one of them the other one if he wants attention will go stiff and start screaming...and kicking his legs .... I ty to give them both equal attention and deal with this by talking to the one who seems to be having a fit ! but not picking him up, if I am having time with his brother ..... is this normal ?? tell me what I can do...I feel like I have made a rod for my own back here...or will it get better with time... like when they can play together?? properly play with toys...etc.....

Any advice....?? Thanks.....

Yup my 19wo boy is about the same - I just have the one and I feel for you dealing with double! He can sort of entertain himself a little but for 10 minutes max, and only when he's really cheerful (just slept, full tummy etc.) Have you experimented with baby seats or doorway bouncers? My DS finds lying on the floor incredibly frustrating for long periods.

And yes he has the occasional strop - if he is thwarted e.g. a toy he is looking at is moved out of sight, or if I leave the room when he doesn't want me to.

Like you I try to strike a balance between responding instantly to every niggle, and not letting him get really really wound up. I leave him to sort himself out (up to a point) in the mornings, but don't expect too much of him as the afternoons wear on and he gets more tired.

Sorry, don't really have any advice for what you can do. My DS's wise granny always reminds me that our DC's come with their own personalities and they develop at their own rates. Ignore the books (for a while anyway) and just encourage them to play with you first, then toys and each other.

Are you going ok hippy? Did you get any more helpful advice apart from my "yup, same here" story?

Hi I ahve decided not to stress about it too much. was reading that at this age babies have no concept of permanence, therfore Im not stressing too much, I feel bad for expecting them not to cry...!! but thanks for answering...x