Joanna Fortune: My toddler wants to be in my arms nearly all the time

Joanna Fortune: "Broadly speaking, we see babies from birth to three months engage in what is described as 'unoccupied play', which means they find their surroundings fascinating, but there is not much interaction; it is more about observation. Then, from three months to two and a half years, they engage in what is described as 'solitary play'."

My 18-month-old son wants to be in my arms nearly all the time. He gets upset when I leave him to play with his toys if only to go to the loo for a few minutes. He also doesn't like having visitors — there is nearly always a meltdown. Getting him to settle for the night takes an age, too. It's exhausting. What would you suggest?

This is such a full-on stage of development. While it would be easy for me to wax lyrical to you about how it’s great that your son sees you as his secure base, that you are where he feels safe and contained, and how soothing you are for him (all of which is true), I fully recognise how draining and exhausting it can be to be somebody’s everything.