Is my 2yo normal

[Molarsz]

DS is 26 months old, no communication issues he’s a bit behind on speech says babble words but they make out to be words and he can communicate what he wants mostly. He responds to his name, doesn’t do any repetitive behaviours like hand flapping , and makes eye contact. He goes to nursery 3 days a week and not once have they said they’re concerned about his social interaction or how he is and they tell me everything.

We went to a family party today. He didn’t nap and there wasn’t no entertainment at the party for 1.5-2 hours after arriving. So after a little running around the room he got bored and walked around the whole building and I can’t blame him there were a lot of kids there and not too much to do.

there was a buffet snd he wanted endless cakes. We gave him 2 mini muffins and tried to get him to eat a bit of a picky meal like buffet food and he wouldn’t. He threw a major tantrum wanting cakes and then this was the start of the end

he seemed withdrawn after this didn’t want to be in the party room kept going to see the other rooms etc.

now he doesn’t see the kids that are aT this party, it was for DH’s distant brothers kids and they all know eachother and socialise weekly. DS doesn’t know these kids and had me and DH as his safe space there, he barely sees DH’s family if I’m honest they don’t make much of an effort.

so in my head

• he’s bored
• hes a bit tired
• hes nervous and doesn’t know anyone
• it’s a dark room and loud )no windows or lights on
• hes hungry as he doesn’t like sandwiches sausage rolls etc which is all there was after the sweets table

DH says why isn’t he engaging like the other kids all thos

i get annoyed as all of those points I said there are valid, he’s 2 years old for god sakes the only 2 year olds there ‘engaging’ were with their older siblings up and following their lead, DS does not have any older siblings or any cousins. He only sees kids in nursery those 3 days a week I’m grateful we can send him so he gets that interaction

I feel he’s normal DH is implying he’s not normal as he’s not been engaging and threw a tantrum and was a bit withdrawn at the end (I think due to being bored shitless) ?

ant advice please

Sounds pretty normal! Closer to 3 to be more interested in actually playing with other children I've found, and even then the idea/memory is often more exciting than doing it when asked before/after.

Especially if he's skipped his nap!

Sounds totally normal!

And also because we’ve tried 3 clubs

1. playgroup type , he didn’t like it wanted to leave
2. foot ball - loved running and kicking the ball but got annoyed by instructions and teachers chasing him around the room asking him to ‘join in’
3. gymnastics - he’s currently enjoying

DH says he’s not enjoying them and other kids do. DS is very strong willed so gymnastics has been good as it’s free flow and not teachers telling him what to do , he doesn’t like being told what to do which I’m sure most kids don’t.

but I pointed out he goes to nursery 3 days a week 8/8.30-4/4.30. He can be overstimulated

also may enjoy clubs when he’s older. Hes nearer 2 than 3 and maybe will enjoy them later on he’s not even a kid he’s still so young

I have only been to kids parties which are 90-2hrs long.
1.5hrs with nothing to really do is way too long.
kids don’t really play toebgher at that age.
your partner has way too high expectations of your child

At 2 my daughter had a handful of words and communicated by pointing around 26 months she started using words instead of pointing to communicate.
At 3y1m we were at a wedding and she only played with grown ups who played with her a month later she went to a funeral with the same family members and now she played with the older kids around 7-8 but they initiated the play. She wasn't able to do this a month earlier.

We have been going to the same toddler group since she was 18 months old. She only got excited about going around 2.5y and until this point she rarely engaged with the singing and only played on her own. At 2.5 we started staying for lunch afterwards with two families from our NCT group and they started playing together after we had lunch. She's 3.5 now and she plays on her own in the big group and once it's only 2 or 3 children for lunch they play together.

The difference in the play and socialising between a 2 and a 3 yo is huge!!

My daughter has been in nursery 4 days a week 8.30-6 since she was 13 months, 2 days a week from 9 months. Playing with children rather than next to children is definitely a recent thing. One of the boys that is also there afterwards is about 6 months younger and he doesn't engage with the play in the same way.

Sounds totally normal.

Yea at the party there was a 2.5 year old and a just turned 2 year old. These interacted a little but they’re cousins and stay at a nans house every week, the older one was leading the play though and he’s 2.5 so can see what everyone means

so yes DS didn’t engage in the party songs or activities but he was 2nd youngest there. Didn’t know anyone and again all those points I said

this is making me feel better though keep it coming because I could cry with happiness (or cry with stress DH is causing me by being so unrealistic lol)