Book club for a very lively 21mo - am I expecting too much?

[PerchanceToDream]

Hi all,

21mo DD has always been a very physical baby and as soon as she could, she'd run off at baby singing groups. Now she goes to playgroups and soft play which are great for her to vent some energy but next week she's starting at a little reading club at the local library. It's for 18months to 4 so she'll be one of the youngest there and TBH, I'm expecting it to be a complete disaster. But I'd really like for her to learn some skills in terms of not just sitting still and listening but actually joining in, which she never does at the 5min singalong at playgroup.

We're having sleep issues too and the HV has suggested she does more quiet activities to calm her down. She thinks she's over stimulated. But DD's personality is just that of a highly-strung kid.

Is it possible to train her to be calmer? Am I expecting too much at this early age? Would love to hear any similar experiences!

i'd be more inclined to increase physical activity during day, do reading at home beforr bed , tell her stories etc. would try library but dont get stressed and resolve to leave if its an issue with no worries... She's v young to expect to sit still if she's not naturally - currently-going to enjoy it

She's too little to be 'learning skills', and I think you're just setting you and her up for disappointment if you expect her to sit still at the library.

Thanks for replies!

That's just it - I'm really not expecting her to sit still. I'm expecting it to be a disaster! And that's fine, we'll just leave. I won't enforce it but I'm just hoping that she'll be able to stay still or even listen for long enough to enjoy the group. Sleep specialist HV says no more than three lively playgroups a week. I thought the more physical exercise she got the better but apparently it doesn't work like that.

I'd have put quiet activities as you and her only. So you and her reading a book together, painting (mine loved magic painting at that age) doing some gardening, hanging the washing up...

I'd have thought if all she wants to do is run around at 5 minutes of singing at preschool, it's just going to be misery for you, her, and possibly others in the group.

For what it's worth, I took my very docile dd1 to a story group at the library when she was about 2.6yo. She had no problems sitting still, but she found it much harder to follow the story when there were 20 other children commenting, wriggling and getting up to point at the book.

DS has always loved his bedtime story, all calm and quiet with a bottle of milk, but ask him to sit still in a library in the middle of the day and he'll likely start climbing the shelves instead. In fact, this exact thing happened with my DS when he was around your DD's age and out at the library story telling session with his CM. He's now 2 and struggles to sit still anywhere for longer than 5 mins, including to watch TV.