Mr. Independent

Today at gym class, Jack was acting very much like a teenager - at TWO! He really did not want anything to do with me. During circle time, he refused to sit on my lap, or even near me. No, he had to sit in the middle of the circle and be all independent doing the activities on his own without my help. Oh and yeah, also be the center of attention at the same time. I am really beginning to wonder if there was some sort of mixup and he's not really my kid. Because to be the center of attention is like a huge nightmare for me, even now, and even more so as a kid.

And during playtime, he did not want my help climbing the ladders at all. In fact, he would push my hand away if I tried to guide him. He was actually making Oscar, one of the owners of the gym crack up with his attitude today. I told Oscar that it was killing me, but he said it is better this way than the other, where the kid won't leave mother's side. I guess he is right, but at two, I want at least some cuddly time, ya know?

They have a part in the class called "separation time" where the parents go to the lobby of the gym and watch while their kids play independently. It only lasts about 5 minutes, but there are some kids who can not handle their mother leaving their side, even for that long. They come up to the gate screaming their heads off because their mother is not there playing with them. But my kid? No, I really do not think he even realizes that I am not there for those 5 minutes. He gets right in there and plays and rides the cars. And when I come back into the play area, he looks up and looks at me as if to say "oh you are still here?". They grow up way too fast these days!