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Can't get anything done

Help! I may have spoiled my 16MO daughter. She has a really hard time if I try to cook or clean. She clings to my legs and cries desperately "Mama! Mama!" until I pick her up. Preparing breakfast and dinner is nearly impossible. I am a first time mom so I don't know what to do. the crying breaks my heart. She doesn't like her playpen or highchair. How can I get her to play on her own?

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Permalink Reply by katies3boys on June 23, 2009 at 9:18am

I agree with several others and with Lisa. It depends on the child. With my first, I could just give him some pots and pans and let him bang away. With my third, he is only happy in a carrier (at times). I would try several things and see what works best.

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Permalink Reply by Karen Cross on July 1, 2009 at 6:43am

I used to do this with my daughter too. My first was like this as well. I used to use our Snugi (when she was a baby) because it seemed like I couldn't put her down. And because she was my first, I certainly wasn't going to let her cry! :)

By the time she was 16 months, I don't remember this being a problem, but I agree with Lisa on this one. See if you can carry her around with you somehow. Maybe get her involved with some of the cleaning?? My kids LOVE to clean! (that's the only way my windows get done)

And then of course you have the option of just letting her cry it out. You will have to judge when you would want to do that. Sometimes cooking can be dangerous for her to be around. So maybe by creating this balance where you involve her sometimes, but let her cry other times, will give her a little more independence.

This is a tough one!

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Permalink Reply by Maria on June 29, 2009 at 6:56pm

Hi Emma-

I had something similar when my daughter was a toddler anytime I was cooking. She would cling on to my leg. So I would give her a wooden spoon and a pot and the lid. Told her she could help me cook and sat her in a corner at the kitchen. She played with that forever. So, anytime I was in the kitchen whether for lunch or dinner or washing dishes... she would play or help. Finally, she saw I was not going anywhere and she calmed down. Later on, I was able to put her in the play pen with the pot and lid. However, my play pen was not really far from the kitchen so I was able to still see her.

Hope that helps. They grow out of it soon. It's the waiting that is murder.

Good luck.

Maria

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Permalink Reply by Jennifer on July 22, 2009 at 1:08am

my son used to do this it was so hard to cook for months until he grew out of the phase. But, to at least distract him I'd give him some pots and pans and big kitchen plastic spoons, or measuring cups, to play with while I tried to get something going. It's a phase, sometimes they take months! But they pass.

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Permalink Reply by Heather Benda on January 5, 2010 at 12:57pm

How long is too long to let my 10MO cry? Everything is fine with her, I think. I just spend awhile holding her. She has fun toys with her and I'm right there. I just can't hold her all day. Any ideas?