To start a support group for children who cannot entertain themselves

[cokeyhokey]

My dd is nearly 2 and has never been that great at entertaining herself but at the moment it is incredibly intense. She has a 4m old little brother so I’m sure that has something to do with it but I find myself relying on tv more than I’d like because she finds it so hard to play by herself.

This week has been particularly hard as the weather has been shit and her brother is not sleeping and I find it very hard to summon the energy to play with her all afternoon.

We go out every morning all morning so it is mainly the afternoons that I struggle with, and I do play with her, a lot, and I try to set up games and sneak away, and I give her ideas “have a tea party with your toys!” Etc, to no avail, it always ends with “come on mummy” or “watch tv now?”.

Will it get better or is this her personality? She’s INCREDIBLY sociable and outgoing although I know that may change.

Is the tv making things worse? (Probably).

Thank god i accidentally had a small age gap, they’ll play together right? RIGHT?

Sometimes she even wants me to watch tv with her!

Obviously I meant a support group for the parents, not the kids

It's an age thing. She will hopefully grow out of it but it's incredibly difficult when you have another child and stuff to do in the house.

Suggestions of mine are: Include her in what YOU are doing - give her a small job to do (give her a tea towel to 'clean' with while you are washing up or prepping dinner)

Get a cardboard box she can fit in and give her some crayons. Ask her to decorate the box inside.

Make it clear she gets an hour's mummy time but mummy needs to spend time with the baby and do other things. She can either help or play on her own but you can't play all the time as you are a grown up.

I remember this stage. Invariably my entire kitchen cupboards would be emptied all over the floor while I was making dinner but at least I got the dinner made without her hanging off my trousers! Then we made a game of putting everything back.

This will pass. I promise.

I have three children who have always been able to amuse themselves, and one who needs a lot more input. I think it's a personality thing. He is the most extroverted of the four, and has a tendency to feel slightly anxious if he isn't interacting with people all the time.

I reckon it is down to their personality.
dc1 was like this. Never stuck at anything. Never played with anything for longer than it took you to get it out for them.
dc2 came along and entertained herself for MUCH longer periods of time from a MUCH earlier age.

Won't tell you he's 21 now and still struggles to entertain himself
won't tell you, n, they didn't play together, only fought.

Will leave you with the thought that dc2 may well be different

That is very young to expect a child to play by themselves.

He is now 13, so obviously is able to entertain himself for periods of time, but still likes to seek out company. The two siblings closest to him in age are very introverted and just want to be left alone.

There's a method (name escapes me!) where you set something up, get them started and move away. I can't remember the details.
It's hard.
Yes they'll play together. But I bet they'll want you to join in!