It is a good thing that Logan is cute because he is driving me NUTS!
We are going on a week now of constant whining, crying, screaming and general bellyaching. If I give him 100% of my attention, he is fine. If I try to clean the kitchen, make dinner, pick up toys, feed Alexis or heaven forbid - sleep - he fusses. This week he has been waking up about four times a night so I am getting a bit testy from lack of sleep.
I went to my beloved MOPS yesterday and he kept melting down in the nursery so after 20 minutes of trying to nurse and calm him down he had to accompany me back to the meeting and sit on my lap the last 90 minutes. Not quite the baby-free rejuvenating experience that I had two weeks ago.
This morning I took Alexis to a playdate and left him with Debbie K and she said he was an angel. But then again he got 100% of her attention the whole time he was there. He is most definately NOT the independent type like his sisters.
What do you do to try and force a kid to self entertain?
Is this a phase?
Is this a boy thing?
HELP!
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Yeah, I had one of those. A boy too. Our general strategy involved spending a lot of money on the next toy, bed, whatever that was going to "solve" all our problems. Obviously none of them did for long. But it did pass eventually.
The thing that helped the most was a baby sling. That way he got to be connected, and I got to move about. It's hard on the back though, so maybe try an Ergo carrier.
He's now a very high spirited, verbal, fun pre-schooler. It just took a lot longer - and a lot of baby einstein videos - to get to that independent phase.
Deby,
You are not the only ones who experience this... Ryan was like that when he was younger. IT DOES NOT matter that if he has a slight disability.
When Ryan was on this phase, even though he is a boy, all we did was to take him and his brother out to an indoor playground weekly. This help him for three reasons: being independently, communication and interaction skills. Now, he has passed all of these three skills. You can set up on a goal for Logan's one at a time.
Another thing was making a team maker. David and I agreed to take turns to take care of kids for an hour or two while we are trying to get our errands done.
Literally speaking about lack of sleep, it sounds like he is going through spurting: bone aches???
Good luck on finding the problems by getting all of the sources you need from the people who gives you ideas.
My kids have all gone through this phase. It comes and goes. And eventually they figure it out.
Charlie is currently going through a phase where I can't leave him at home. He wants to come with me everywhere I go.
And I've noticed that with Jack, when he gets this way, it's usually because he is teething. And if he's not teething, I just figure something else is bothering him.
And I have to remind myself that it's ok to let the house go sometimes... because, occasionally, my babies need me. : )
May be a trait, not a phase. Kids who do better with constant attention are often those who get frustrated more quickly than others...what they can't immediately do for themselves yet, they need help with. Obviously the younger they are the more help they need. For ways to work with that inborn trait as time goes by, see Temperament Tools: Working with your Child's Inborn Traits at ParentingPress.com
Justin is very independant, sometimes I wish he needed me more, when I give him attention he acts like I am bugging him and taking away from what he is doing. Last time Patti was here she said "you should just feel lucky that you can walk out of the room with out him freaking out". When we go to our playgroups he takes off and never looks back while all of the other kids his age are hanging on to their mom's leg. He is very social with the other kids though and really thrives during our playdates.
Tracey
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