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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Knackered and running out of ways to entertain my 6 month old

16 replies

dennysgirl · 20/06/2007 13:20

Hi, I am so so tired today and my 6 month old baby boy is very very demanding. He is a non stop wriggler and he needs to be doing a different activity every few mins. He won't lie on the baby gym and won't sit in bouncy chair. He won't sit still on my lap for longer than about 30 seconds. Most days its fine as I make sure I go out a lot but today I have to wait in for a delivery. I love him to bits and he's great fun but today I have no energy left. Any ideas for entertainment?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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mamijacacalys · 20/06/2007 13:34

Put baby gym in a different place.
Put him in bouncy chair or on mat in front of CBeebies (high-mindedly said I wouldn't do this with mine before I had them but that was before I'd experienced the sleep depravation!)
Hang some other stuff on the gym or give him some kitchen stuff to fiddle with - mine loved wooden spoons and plastic spatulas.
Hang in there - this is a phase and it will get better as his sleep patterns improve!
HTH for now...

luciemule · 20/06/2007 13:36

Would he play quietly in his cot for a while if you went and had a relaxing bath?

Or sit him in the highchair with a wooden spoon and some plastic cups to play with whilst you sit and read a mag/prepare tea whatever?

Would he roll around on the carpet if you sat and listened to music or put some children's music on and you sit and look at mag.

When you're knackered, it's a nightmare having to entertain a child so I'd try and make sure you have arest too. Does he have a nap this afternoon?

LowFatMilkshake · 20/06/2007 13:38

I will be watching this thread with interest as you could be me. I also have a 6month DS who can be very awkward.

I put him in a walker so he's up right and can play with toys on the tray. Also he loves a sealed bag of crisps to play with and a large plastic salad spoon from our picnic stuff. Typical he has tons of toys but it's a bag of crisps and a spoon for him!

If you dont have a packet of crips my DS also like sealed maryland cookies, I think it's a combination of the noise, texture and bright colours that he likes.

ThomCat · 20/06/2007 13:42

Have you got a shed?

Is he crawling yet? Lay him on his tummy with a few toys in a circle round him all out of reach.

Give him the remote control or your keys, basically anything that isn't a toy.

Have you got a blue Palnet DVD or something like that you can put him in front of for 15 mins?

Give him a bath and let him play in there for a wbit?

Dance round the hosue with him in your arms.

Do an exercise DVD and let him watch and stare and think how mad you look!

Put him in a baby sling and do some house work.

LowFatMilkshake · 20/06/2007 13:45

Mt DS also loves it when I sing (badly) to him and chuckles away at me. Sure that'll change when he's 16 and I do it in front of his mates.

All said and done though the best entertainer for my DS is his big sister who's 3.5yrs. No one gets a belly laugh out of him like she does. And he provides her with a fantastic audience when DH and I dont always have the time.

Are there any slightly older children you could borrow to entertain him.

Original poster

dennysgirl · 20/06/2007 14:01

Thanks for all your suggestions they are brill. He doesn't crawl yet and likes rolling onto his tummy but complains once he is there!! He likes the wooden spoon for a while (like 2 mins). He will nap this arvo so I will try to as well but sometimes I like to use that time to do a few things for me, like eat! Right now he is having a kick about with his little legs and arms going wild but he is happy and laughing and I am tickling his neck. I like dancing and singing with him and sure he thinks I am crazy but who cares. Thanks again. It's the first time I have written on here so thanks xx

OP posts:

magnolia1 · 20/06/2007 14:03

Lol, you could be me! I have a 6.5 month old boy who is soooo demanding and Like you am waiting in for a delivery. Why is it when you want them to turn up at 8am they bloody don't

Original poster

dennysgirl · 20/06/2007 14:07

Tell me about it Magnolia, and when you want a lie in, they do!! Lie in, what's that!

OP posts:

magnolia1 · 20/06/2007 14:10

Ok I have not experienced a lie in since I don't know when
I think it's boys you know, my girls were always happy entertaining themselves.

Guitargirl · 20/06/2007 14:19

My 5.5 month old will sit happily in front of a baby einstein dvd for 15-20 mins, long enough for me to have a shower or tidy up a bit. She seems entranced by it and I have convinced myself that it's mildly 'educational' (and therefore feel less guilty about plonking her in front of the tele) .

filthymindedvixen · 20/06/2007 14:22

OK, it's been a fair few years since i was in this position but...
A bath at any time of the day used to entertain mine...with bubbles in and toys

just for next time, stock up on things with different textures (newspaper, crisp packets, bubble wrap, velvet etc and let him (under supervision) explore them.

Also, a trip to the library and some baby books would be a nice outing and some quiet time on your return.

A sturdy hand-held mirror is always fun.

Blow bubbles for him to watch.

Do you have any outdorr space? Smetimes just a change of scenery and a change of surface (grass, blanket outside) can make a difference and might 'buy' you enough time for a sit down outside and a drink/mag.)

Some cooked spahetti pasta to 'play' with!

HenriettaHippo · 20/06/2007 14:27

you could always get in the bath too (but I bet the delivery would arrive just at that point...).

If you're desperate for a walk, you could go for a walk up and down your road so you see the driver arrive. A change of scenary can do the power of good.

I also found the Baby Einstein DVDs tended to make mine totally entranced.

go out in the garden, or put him in a sling and get on with some pottering about.

Hope he arrives soon!!

Original poster

dennysgirl · 20/06/2007 14:41

Delivery has arrived..hurrah!! I am going to go for a walk and treat myself to a chocolate brownie as a reward for getting through my stressful morning! Thanks again and I'm going to invest in some baby Einstein dvds.

OP posts:

LowFatMilkshake · 20/06/2007 14:47

Baby TV is also a good entertainer. It's on channel 626ish if you have Sky Dig. There 2 channel specifically for babies.

oremstango · 21/06/2007 10:23

Find sometimes this too changes as my son went through a spell of this and now seems to be moderately more chilled and ok for longer bits. That said, I do think of 'stations' around the house so I'm moving him around all day. Also worth hooking in with play groups. Before plopping kiddies in front of the tv worth looking at the impact of this longer term as the general view is this is really not advisable, especially so young. Panorama programme this week backed up longer-term impact for kids.

dontwanttogetoutofbed · 21/06/2007 10:32

i also love babytv. its great because the shows are short and my dd half watches them half dances around/plays while they are on, so i dont feel like she's 'watching tv'. some of the music on it is also quite relaxing

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