Balancing Two Conversations at Once
When Your Child Needs You and Your Guest Does Too
Over Thanksgiving, one of my closest friends, Lisa, flew in to spend the holiday with our family. We hadn’t seen each other in a long time, and we were excited to catch up. But every time we tried to have a normal adult conversation, Matteo suddenly needed my attention.
If you’re a parent of a toddler, you’ve probably lived this exact moment. You finally turn to talk to another adult, and your child picks that moment to need you urgently.
Over the past year, I’ve been reading more about toddler behavior and why interruptions happen. What I’ve learned has made these moments easier to understand.
And if you're new here and want stories that help children recognize feelings, work through conflict, and learn emotional awareness, you can explore the Matteo and Antonio books here:
Shop the series → https://www.littlelessonsmedia.com/shop
What I’ve Recently Learned About Toddler Interruptions
I am not a child development expert, but I’ve been reading a lot about this stage of parenting. A few themes come up again and again:
Toddlers do not fully grasp conversation flow
Waiting is hard because their sense of time is still developing
Interrupting is usually a signal of emotional need, not misbehavior
When your attention shifts, they often want reassurance that you’re still accessible
They’re still learning regulation skills and rely on adults to guide them
Matteo showed all of this over the holiday. Each time I turned to Lisa, he turned to me. It wasn’t that he didn’t want me talking to her. He wanted to stay connected.
One article described this as “connection checking,” and that idea made a lot of sense to me.
A Simple Approach That Helps in Our House
Here’s what consistently works for us:
Acknowledge him right away
A quick “I see you, Matteo” helps him feel noticed.Set a short, clear expectation
“I’m talking to Lisa right now. Give me one minute.”Follow through
When I turn back to him after that minute, he knows he can trust that boundary.
This doesn’t eliminate every interruption, but it lowers the intensity.
If you’ve found a good strategy in your home, I’d love to hear about it in the comments.
When It Gets Hard
There were moments this Thanksgiving when Matteo’s interruptions weren’t about attention. The holiday schedule was off, the house was full, and routine went out the window.
Some of what I’ve been reading says toddlers often show emotional overload through:
Hovering
Repeating questions
Getting frustrated quickly
Demanding immediate attention
Struggling to wait even briefly
This matched what I saw. During one conversation with Lisa, Matteo looked overwhelmed. I paused, got down to his level, and said, “Are you feeling left out?”
He nodded. That moment of acknowledgment helped him settle.
You’re Not Being Rude to Your Guest
Parents often worry that stepping away feels impolite. Most adults, especially long-time friends understand exactly what’s happening.
Lisa understood completely. She even joked about it, and reminisced about her days in the same position.
Balancing two conversations at once isn’t about perfection.
…….It’s about presence.
A Quick Plug for a Book That Changed My Path
Since we’re talking about Lisa, I want to share something important. She isn’t just a close friend. She’s also an author. Her book GO! Reboot Your Career in 90 Days has played a major role in motivating me to build Little Lessons Media and rethink my own career direction.
If you’re someone who wants to reset, grow, or figure out your next phase, her book is worth reading.
Find Lisa Thee’s book here: https://a.co/d/4jQV8o6
Her guidance has helped me navigate my own reboot. I’m still deep in the process today.
We also snapped a picture at the Small Business Saturday event last weekend.
Small Business Saturday Event 11/29/2025
A Sneak Peek at What’s Coming
Our next book, Matteo & Antonio: A Little Lesson in Disagreement, is coming soon. The manuscript is complete, and I’ll be sharing a preview on the website this week.
It explores how siblings can disagree, get frustrated, and still find their way back to each other. If you want to see early pages and follow along with the release:
Sneak Peek: A Little Lesson in Disagreement → https://www.littlelessonsmedia.com/shop
I’ll be adding that preview section soon.
Join the Conversation
I’d love to hear your thoughts:
How do your children behave when you start an adult conversation?
Are they like Matteo and suddenly need you right away?
What strategies help you balance your attention?
What situations make waiting hardest for them?
Share your experience in the comments. Your story might help another parent (and me) reading this.
And if you want stories that guide kids through emotions, connection, and everyday challenges: Explore the Matteo and Antonio series → https://www.littlelessonsmedia.com/shop
