onlies and play by themselves? what age?

[racletteyum]

DC is still only 3 but is very sociable and loves company. Over the xmas break this has meant that unless we are seeing family or friends - he constantly wants one of us or both to play with ihm. He got lots of lovely new toys over xmas - a train set, lego, etc but will only play with them if we also join in.

I get that if he had siblings we would just play with them and I know he loves company - it's just very tiring.At what age did your only start spending a bit more time by themselves? Any tips for how you managed it until then?

[lemurllama]

Around 7 years old for my only. Sorry if that's not what you wanted to hear!

[tessiegirl]

My dd has just turned 5 but has been happily playing on her own the last few months I'd say...

[racletteyum]

thank you! Interesting to hear other people's experiences. I was an only till about ten so I totally get that my kid wants company and doesnt want to be on his own but DH (grew up with siblings whose parents never played with them) expects DC to be able to do that already.

Any tips on how you and DP managed the intensity of it all?

[KarlKennedysDurianFruit]

DS is an only, he's 2 he'll play by himself in bursts then wants to show you what he's doing well tend to have a few different activities set up for him and he goes between them, we do also play with him a lot but sometimes he's just happy playing by himself, at the moment he's running around with a Duplo aeroplane making plane noises and occasionally crashing it. He doesn't need me for that

[PaperMonster]

Mine’s nine now and was quite happy to play by herself from about three. But nowadays she does sometimes like you to be in the room, other times she’s OK with an audio book for company.

[Justcashnosweets]

My daughter is 7 and has played on her own since she was maybe 4 or 5? She prefers this to having me try to muscle in on her imaginary world! Its funny because I remember being exactly the same when I was a kid, and I had a brother and sister!

[whoisjoe]

DD is nearly 6 and will play on her own if she is encouraged, but would rather I join in. I find it hard not to feel guilty when she plays alone and she knows this!. Sometimes I say to her I will play for 15min (or until my coffee is empty) then you play by yourself for a bit. I think it depends on the child too as when she stays at her dads house, she plays on her own the whole day without asking him....
But she was about 4 before she got less clingy with me. So tiring isn't it!