Two-year old only wants to be held
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My 2yo only wants to be held most often. It's exhausting especially when I want to make food or a meal or just get anything done. She has older siblings so does have entertainment (lol), and I'll set up playdough or a coloring project for her. But looking for any other tips or suggestions!
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If it happens during meal prep they might be getting hungry. My son always did this right around dinner time and I connected the dots that it was because he was hungry. As soon as I fed him he wouldn’t cling anymore. Sometimes I would have to give him a dinner side that was already made even before meal time.
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Get a good carrier for your back or invest in the Tush Baby! OR lay the brown roller paper down on your kitchen floor, tape it down with painters tape next to you, and give her crayons or stickers so she can "play" but still well within your orbit. Ugh. So hard - these velcro kids! Here's the paper I'm talking about: https://amzn.to/4iBL2gl
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I know this may sound overly simple, but sometimes you have to "suffer with a purpose" so you can stop "suffering in circles". Meaning - If you are clear with yourself and her that you are going to not hold her when you are cooking, or doing other things, you may have her cry for 1-3 times of you holding your ground - but then she will learn you mean it, and stop asking. Now I DON'T mean that you would never hold her again. But you can just be clear about your boundary. Like, "When I'm sitting on the couch, or playing with you I'm HAPPY to be able to hold you. When I am cooking, I am not able to hold you right now." And if you struggle to hold the boundary when she seems so sad - just think of it like a "kick the vending machine" response (we call this an extinction burst) - where she is trying EXTRA hard to see if you will change your mind. And what helps me in this moment is using the words: "I love you AND the answer is no." Trust me - it will be needed in many situations in the future. This is just the start.:)
