Toddler Mommy's: My son has turned into a klingon

TakYelgif

dorky star trek pun intended

but seriously he wants no one but me, all weekend if I even so much as walked in to the kitchen he screamed and ran looking for me even though he could see me.

Cooking meals was a nightmare because he kept pushing me out of the way so I could pick him up.  Normally I don't mind holding him whenenver he wants me to but lately the clingyness is so bad that I cannot get anything done in any real time. 

His usual Sunday afternoon outing with DH took 20 minutes and a ton of tears before he would leave our apt then he cried all the way to the car I could hear him from our apt.

Is this a stage?  Anyone been through this?  how long does it last?

I really have no idea why he is feeling so much anxiety and want to help but I don't know how until I get to the root of the problem.

ETA:  this just started this weekend and I had really rough weekend emotionally bad friend situation (whole other story) I am wondering if maybe he was feeling or noticing how sad I was over the friend situation. 

madhatter2003

Toddlers can definitely sense emotions, and he may have been picking up on your stress/upset.

BUT they do go through phases, and unfortunately there is no way of telling when it will switch. Even now DD will go through phases where she wants me and only me for a week or so, then it'll switch to DH and she wants nothign to do with me, etc.

ESTH2000

OMG..we are going through the exact same thing. DD is clingy anyways but for some reason lately it she has become super super clingy.

Going to work is heartbreaking. Doing laundry.. fugetaboutit!!

Like you ..I can usually cook something quick but she too pushes me and just wants to be picked up. I have had to put her on the kitchen counter while I prep some stuff.

I love to spend as much time with her because I work so many hours and the few days we have our precious but I need to be able to do little things in the house...

Hoping this is a phase..don't know what to do about it but wanted you to know you are not alone

TakYelgif

ESTH2000:

Going to work is heartbreaking.

OMG I was crying right along with DS at the daycare dropoff this morning it was absolutely heartbreaking.  Well I cry everyday after dropping him off at daycare but I usually don't let him see it, today was baaaaaad though.

mrsolsenk12

Hayden is going through this but not quite as extreme. He does the "pick me up while you are cooking" thing but will be pacified by DH. I hope it doesn't get worse as he gets older.

madhatter2003

One thing that I do is let them (even DS) 'help' me while I'm doing stuff around the house. DS LOVES to stack cups while I'm unloading the dishwasher, DD can put the silverware away, etc.  So they are right with me 'helping' but I still get stuff done.

I'll also give them bowls, big wooden spoons, and put some cheerios or something in the bowls for them to 'cook' while we are prepping dinner.

Smudges*Mom

Kat, I'm sorry that Fen is going through a rough spot.  Makes it hard.  Grant was a bit clingy yesterday after I, basically, camped out in our bedroom all day Saturday, in the hopes of not passing my bug along to either him or DH.  While nothing like you are experiencing, it is hard.  He did not go down to sleep well on Saturday, and I was right there with him, snuggling him and crying too.  <sigh>

While you didn't address it, I'm sorry that you are going through a rough spell.  Fen may be getting some of those vibes, but toddlers do go through phases.  I would think that his current clingyness is due to a phase. 

TakYelgif

Smudges*Mom:

Kat, I'm sorry that Fen is going through a rough spot.  Makes it hard.  Grant was a bit clingy yesterday after I, basically, camped out in our bedroom all day Saturday, in the hopes of not passing my bug along to either him or DH.  While nothing like you are experiencing, it is hard.  He did not go down to sleep well on Saturday, and I was right there with him, snuggling him and crying too.  <sigh>

While you didn't address it, I'm sorry that you are going through a rough spell.  Fen may be getting some of those vibes, but toddlers do go through phases.  I would think that his current clingyness is due to a phase. 

It really is soo hard to deal with it, I am sorry Grant was miserable too yesterday poor little guy

manda429

This is jake right now.  He pushes me while I am cooking. I'm on my own most nights with him and getting dinner ready is really tough.

He's too young to really help.  I usually point out a toy he could go play with, but that only works for a minute.  I debate whether or not giving him 30 seconds of attention to get 5 more minutes of work OR if I should try to ignore him to encourage more independence for when DD comes.

Smudges*Mom

TakYelgif:

 

It really is soo hard to deal with it, I am sorry Grant was miserable too yesterday poor little guy

For better or for worse, I am Grant's world, I am the only constant.  He was okay for most of Saturday, but Saturday evening and on Sunday, he was afraid that I was going to disappear again.  In all honestly, it is something that I think that I need to work on. . . I want him to know that I will always come back, but to come back, I have to leave first.  He's good though--so far, knock on wood, he has not caught what I had.  Thank goodness.  That was horrific.  I wish that I knew where our scale was. . . I have to be down 7 or 8 pounds.

I'm here if you need a shoulder.  We will have to plan another time to get together.   

laura1

Since DD has arrived, DS is like this too...makes it hard when I am trying to BF her and he is lifting his arms up saying "upa!"  And when I do get him to play independently, he is going to things that he shouldn't be playing with (we just moved, so our house is not very babyproofed yet).  I have basically just learned to do everything one handed - I am either carrying DD or DS at any point in time (or both, but I try to avoid that).  When I need to not be holding someone - cooking, going to the bathroom, etc., I just put him in his crib or pnp, with toys and he either plays nicely or cries.  If he cries, he usually settles himself down in within a minute or two and will play until I come back.  I also will sing or talk to him while he is in there and that seems to help.  GL - it is so hard...it is nice to be wanted, but difficult to get anything done!