my 2 year old seems to need constant attention

[bizzykid]

Hi,

I have a very happy, active 2 year old. Its hard to sit and do anything for myself, and when I have guests he wants to be listened to the whole time, giving me no real adult time for conversation.
Has anyone else had this problem, if so, any ideas on how to deal with this problem???

Thanks

Ha ha ha ha ha. No advice - just sympathy! Had the same thing myself - pretty much from when DS was really tiny. I had him with a childminder 3 or 4 days a week which really helped my sanity, and also gave him a bit more stimulus - other kids - than I could provide.

Really do sympathise - especially if you've also got a mother who thinks he should be amusing himself from the get go ("rod for your own back" - grrr). On the plus side, he can and does play happily by himself now - since 3 or so - and although he can still be a pita on the whole he's a bright, involved and pretty cool guy to be around.

btw - the laughter was at me as I never had any success at managing this...

I think that is what I find hard, the fact that I have no other people who care for him and I when I work (with children) he is still with me. I want him to want to share things with me and feel bad when I think just leave me alone for 10 mins so I can do something for me. He is so wonderful and affectionate and I dont want to change him. I have tried getting him to engage in something and saying mummy is just going to do ........ whilst you play then I will play with you but he gets quite upset. Maybe I have to be cruel to be kind LOL

Yup, sorry, no advice just sympathy.

This is why, despite my early belief that I would never let my children watch wicked tv or wicked thomas the tank engine videos, I caved on both

x post with bizzy - yes, we all feel guilty but it is normal to need a teeny bit of space for yourself. I didn't have any other carers either and work from home ,so I do sympathise. I would look forward to 7pm and sitting down by myself or the (occasional) days when dh would look after the dc while I escaped to the shops.

Despite looking forward to my escape all week I'd quickly miss them

Good luck x

More sympathy still if you're working from home. Don't feel bad about wanting 10 mins for yourself - it was a long time before I could even get a wee by myself. Kept him in long afternoon naps for as long as possible, until it was interfering with his night-time sleep - would that work for you?! But IMHO you'll end up with a more interesting kid than some of the puddings I've met