how do you tell if a toddler is content?

[ithoughtofitfirst]

Just that really.

I am a sahm at the moment and worry about this constantly. I do loads with him with the occasional lazy day. today being the latter. I'm just doing some CBT out the garden with ds just sort of pottering around playing with cars and stuff. I worry that he is bored basically all the time but just being a really good sport about it. or would I know if he was bored?

I know it's a silly question but I genuinely give myself a really hard time over this. any thoughts would be really appreciated Xx

I think you need to give yourself a break. He doesn't need constant stimulation. It sounds like you do plenty of activities and it's good if they can amuse themselves. You don't have to DO parenting all the time.

I know if my DD is discontented because she whinges or cries!

Honestly I don't think there is such a thing as a "really good sport" toddler if they are discontent they will let you know. Don't worry. You are just lucky to have a toddler who is happy entertaining himself.

Oh if he was bored and miserable, he'd find ways of telling you!

Pottering about and entertaining yourself is an excellent life skill, and parents should make an effort to give their children the chance to learn it, not keep them occupied and entertained all the time.

Lazy days are good days!

I worry about this all the time. Mine are twins, so I guess they do have a playmate, but they can go for hours just pottering about together, exploring this and that and playing with their toys (no tv or screens, though). I often wonder if I'm not stimulating them enough, but then I suppose they are learning from their environment; I've heard that babies learn a LOT just from being with us and don't necessarily need as much directed play as we might feel they do.

Oh he'll whinge and whine if he's bored.

However- imo toddlers are very good at creating their own entertainment and this lasts until they discover tv/computers

My 5 year old potters away by himself and rarely gets bored. In fact i dont think ive ever thought "oh- need to stimulate him"

Thank you ladies that's really helpful.

I tried having this conversation with my mum and she thought I was going soft. Which is only partly true.

I was an absolute nutcase toddler and couldn't sit still in my own company. I remember feeling bored and miserable a LOT of the time. Until I was about 10 actually. I just don't want him to feel that way!!

I agree with Wilde 100 percent. I think it is important that children have 'free play' where they create, imagine, explore for themselves. In fact I chose a nursery for him which has this idea at it's core. The nursery has a much happier atmosphere than nurseries i visited where kids time is ruled by prescribed activities.

Is it a montesori one? (sp)

I think our (occasionally used) day care is too.

He seems happy. The theme of my childhood was struggling to entertain myself and being bored.

He just plays alone and doesn't seem arsed whether I'm there or not. He plays with guests and family ... just not me Haha.

No not montessori. It is based on the principles of some bloke called Froebel.

Sounds really cool. I definitely want him to learn that skill of using his imagination through free play. Today I just took as many toys as I could carry out to garden and just watched him taking gravel from one place to another in his little ride on... and then feeding stones and grass to a dinosaur. It was really fascinating and was so different to my usual trick of kicking balls around and talking to him loads. He did seem content.

My toddler loves a good potter around. Let him ferret around in the recycling bin or the wood pile and he's happy (and filthy!) as Larry.

Erm, you'd be pretty aware of it if your toddler was unhappy, trust me! Mine whinges non stop or cries if he is fed up!

He also loves nothing more than a good potter around, exploring the house, rummaging through things and so on. Moving things from one place to another, and then back again (like your boy with the gravel) can keep him entertained for hours, and he's learning and practising his motor skills at the same time. It drives me a bit nuts when I get roped into one of his repetitive action games, but he likes it!