Mom is chatting with guests, but Junior Zap keeps interrupting her, trying to get her attention. Mom is worried that her guests are being annoyed and that they'll think she is a bad parent with a bad child. She could easily get angry with her son, but she knows that won't help anything. Instead, she asks Junior Zap to wait a minute while she talks to her guests. In a moment, at a break in the conversation, she turns to Junior Zap and finds out what he wants. She encourages him to play while she continues talking with her guests. Your child has to learn to share you with other people. Getting mad at her and sending her away will only make things worse. Try to involve your child for brief periods of time, and praise her for the times when she is playing and not pestering you.  At about this age, children are starting to think more about the feelings of others. Talk with your child about how he would feel if people started talking and interrupting while he was talking. You and your child might create a signal, like the child touching your arm, when she wants a turn to talk.
Children are often anxious to talk to you and will interrupt your conversations to get your attention. Acknowledge your desire to hear what your child has to say, and explain that you will be with her as soon as you are done. Over time, your child will learn to wait for you to finish your conversation before interrupting. Food for Thought: - When does your child seem to interrupt you the most?
- What can you do when your child is constantly interrupting you?
- Are you worried about what people will think if you ask them to understand that you have to give your child some attention, too?
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