It's a bugger, hey? I remember that it used to be really hard when Charlie was younger, but now he's usually ok to play on his own when I do it. I made a decision one day that he just had to learn to play on his own when I cooked dinner because I can't not cook or do other stuff just because he's around. After a few times of him really throwing a tantrum he realised that when Mummy cooks dinner she's not available all the time - now he's pretty good. And if all else fails, you could pop on a DVD every now and then. If I'm cooking a complicated meal I sometimes do that instead of letting him watch Play School in the morning. Hope that helps! It does get easier as they get older though. Good luck!