Need some advice regarding my 8 year old son. He is extremely clingy with me and it's really getting to me. Would like some advice on what can be done or how to handle my emotions. He's always been clinging but since lockdown and me working from home it's 1000 times worse. I was pregnant during lockdown ( my daughter was born in July)
I am a single parent. His dad doesn't live far but is inconsistent with his time and affection towards him so everything falls on me.
My son needs me to watch him play or wants me to play with him all the time. He follows me around the flat even to the toilet (I know this is normal but I'm saying I don't even get that break from him)
He cannot seem to entertain himself at all. He has toys, books and a kindle but he brings them around me and wants me to either play Roblox (I will play a game on there called Hide and Seek sometimes) or power rangers or watch mind numbing YouTube videos with him. When I explain that I can't because of the baby/feeding/finally a good while she is sleeping so now I can catch up on dishes/clothes/make some phone calls he sulks or won't let up with the asking and pestering. He also will head to the fridge so I'm noticing he is comfort eating. On top of that he is extremely loud and attention seeking and in your face. When we do play games and he loses he is extremely competitive and will cry if loses so it no longer is fun to play with him. I have told him he cannot always sit in my room with me or follow me everywhere he has to play on his own sometimes because I am busy. He is constantly in my phone conversations and sometimes repeats things to others that he has heard me say. I love him beyond life and overall he is a gorgeous boy but I'm constantly angry and short with him everyday.
We had lockdown then he returned to school then a week after his class was sent home because the teacher had Covid so we were inside for two weeks straight. Then he went back for a week and now it's half term and he is up under me EVERYDAY ALL DAY. please someone suggest something
I feel bad a lot of the time because I tell him to go off and play and he looks sad so I'm scared for his mental health but I don't know what else to do. His dad is no help so that's not an option sorry it's so long