Very attached 15 month old and getting things done round the house

[Ilovefruitytea]

Just that really...bub wants to be picked up and then put down every 3 seconds....doesn't like me doing anything, even getting her lunch ready on the table is a no-no.

It's just me and her all day together, so how do I go about getting anything done? Doing things when she sleeps is out of the question....she only sleeps at night and goes to bed when I do.

We practice attachment parenting so I'm not into CIO or anything like that. The sling is good, but for some strange reason she doesn't like it when I cook.

Any ideas? Is it a phase? Does it get better?

It is a phase, I remember it well! The way I managed it was to either wait until they were distracted or to do what I could with them stuck to me.

If prepping food etc, will they sit in highchair next to you and 'help'?

I'll be honest, I just focused on cooking and washing up and left the rest!

A handful of Cheerios on the coffee table is irresistible to mine, even during clingy phases. Really handy when cooking

It is a phase and it does get better. How much sleep is she getting? Any chance she's over tired? Mine are always horrifically clingy if they're very tired or sick.

Thank you guys those are all good ideas which I will implement this week. Will try the cheerios trick :)

Wagglerock she sleeps whenever she feels like it during the day. I found implementing any kind of nap schedule a bit stressful with her and it’s easier to just take her along with my day to day life and she sleeps either in the pram or sling when she feels like it. Any kind of “stay home and put to sleep” type of day just ends of miserable for her as she gets bored at home. So her sleeps vary - some days it’s two naps and some days it’s one.

We got a learning tower for the kitchen (basically a stool they can stand in with a frame on top to stop them falling off, we did an IKEA hack as they’re expensive otherwise) and it’s really helped me be able to cook dinner.

My little one will watch me chop stuff up and “steal” bits of veg to eat as well as “help” me put stuff into saucepans (obviously not near anything that’s already hot) and put stuff back in the fridge/freezer if we haven’t used it all.

She thinks the freezer is hilarious because it’s cold 😂

It’s not a cure all and she still has days where she’s not that keen but I’d say it’s improved 80% of dinner prep.

@SamanthaVimes

We got a learning tower for the kitchen (basically a stool they can stand in with a frame on top to stop them falling off, we did an IKEA hack as they’re expensive otherwise) and it’s really helped me be able to cook dinner.

My little one will watch me chop stuff up and “steal” bits of veg to eat as well as “help” me put stuff into saucepans (obviously not near anything that’s already hot) and put stuff back in the fridge/freezer if we haven’t used it all.

She thinks the freezer is hilarious because it’s cold 😂

It’s not a cure all and she still has days where she’s not that keen but I’d say it’s improved 80% of dinner prep.

Same! I've started sitting my boy on the worktop while I cook/wash up clean and describe to him what I'm doing, that stops the whining and lets me get stuff done.

I've also had moderate success getting him ti help me, mainly by shpwing disproportionate enthusiasm for mundane housework - making up songs about sweeping the floor, getting excited about the washing machine, asking him to hand me plates out of the dishwasher, etc. That's helped get things done and also wears him out a bit to the extent he gets fed up of chores and goes off to play! Best of luck OP

Can she "help"? Give her a wooden spoon and plastic bowl when you are cooking so she can stir (and bang!) Sit her in a high chair so she can see what you are doing and talk to her, or put some music on and sing and dance about, she may find it entertaining.

As soon as she's able to 'help', this might satisfy her curiosity. A plastic knife and a banana is a good place to start. I also used a hippychick hip seat for when my nearly 2 year old really wants to be involved when I'm cooking. She's freer than in the sling but it saves your back a bit (you still have to do things one-handed though!)
I made play dough the other day and she was very absorbed with scooping flour from one bowl to the other. Dried chickpeas is also good for this kind of activity, if you can set it up for her in her highchair while you cook...

Thank you all! Making notes on all your tips with enthusiasm! Will definitely be getting the tower and the hip seat, and once she is walking confidently I’ll be getting her to “help” :)

Yes, it’s so much easier to let them help and learn than to try and distract them. At this age they are hardwired to learn about our world and how it works - everything is fascinating to them! Allowing them to participate in family life by helping with tasks helps toddlers to feel valued, important and useful. Helping around the house also helps to develop language (as you narrate what you’re doing) as well as gross and fine motor skills. This is a Montessori concept - if you google “montessori practical life 15 month old” there will be lots of ideas on how to include her in tasks around the home. I am a Montessori parent (my little girl is only 7 months) and I am so so excited for her to be ready for practical life activities! There are so many ways you can foster this - a real child sized broom to sweep with, a learning tower as someone else suggested, even things as simple as helping to pull the laundry out of the drier. It does slow things down, but you’ll have a better chance of getting things done!