Some kind of parasite has leeched onto my child. He's in my face all the time, pulling on my arm, jumping up and down. We play a game for 20 minutes. He wants to play more, but Mommy's had enough. So she says, "No, thank you."
He immediately tries to drag me to some other part of the house to do a game that is way more developmentally appropriate with someone his age (like driving his sit on cars in a race around the house). Even with lengthy play dates, he won't back down. Sometimes, he doesn't engage with the kids and still only wants me to play. I feel like we're saying no to him a lot, but that's more because he's asking every 2 seconds.
"Race cars, Mommy."
"I can't right now, sweetie. I have to run the dishwasher, but when I'm done we can play with cars on the little people garage."
"No, Mommy! Want to race cars around! Come on, Mommy, come on!" (small child pulls my arm, my shirt, my hand).
"After I'm done with the dishes--"
He closes the dishwasher.
"Come on, Mommy!"
"X-man, I hear that you want to play with Mommy.'
"Yes!"
"Mommy wants to play with you, but I can't play until my chores are done. So after the dishes are put in the dishwasher, I can come play, okay?"
"No Mommy! Now!"
"No, X-man. Go in the other room and color..."
And what should have been a 4-minute chore turns to 20 with all the begging and pleading.
See what I'm talking about... sigh.
