Only child won't play alone

[oranginaforme]

My daughter is nearly 6 and is an only child. I am a single Mother and dedicate a lot of my day to playing with her, very much child-led play/whatever she wants to do. I do set up things for her to do if I need to get some other stuff done but I'm seeing more and more that she gets very cross with me if I can't play with her and I am
Not sure how to handle it. I practice therapeutic parenting and very much believe in natural consequences but need a bit of advice with how to get her to play alone so I can get things around the house done. I try and involve her as much as possible with housework/cooking etc but obviously she doesn't want to do that all the time!
When I've read up on it it says that you need to get down on their level and connect with them for a decent amount of time every day...and I do this A LOT!! I play with her a lot more than any of my other Mummy friends do with their kids but it is never enough for her. I just end up feeling guilty and like a terrible Mum. I'm very much into boundaries, but enforcing them makes me feel horrible! Any advice please...thank you :)

TV or tablet/phone for 30 mins isn't going to harm her

Write down ideas of activities she can do by herself - either get her to pick one out of a jar and do it or she can see them all and pick one. Maybe make it like a bingo card and she has to cross them off to win a prize. Tell her she has to do these things on her own, and pick one a day.

Ideas such as:

• Make a Lego creation of whatever theme she is into
• Read a book and draw a picture of your favourite character/scene from it. Or draw the story as a comic (3 pictures or something)
• Create a play using your toys and then act it out to Mummy
• Make an obstacle course for your toys
• Listen to an audiobook then tell Mummy the story

Mine is 6. I'm single parent too.
Mine also doesn't play by herself.
I've never been able to get her to I'm afraid.
I think I'm spite of what some people say some children are like this more than others.
When I put my foot down and say no Tele sometimes she just hangs around she doesn't play cos there's no one to do it with!

No suggestions here!

When DD was this age she would read a lot- can she read independently? What about magazine-type things with lots of pictures, would that hold her interest for half an hour?

I think at 6 you need to tell her to amuse herself whilst you get on with things, she needs to be aware that is how things are.

Will she not watch tv or a video for a while

Get her started on something she can do independently (lego, colouring, whatever). Join in as usual. When she's into it, tell her you need the loo/phone call/whatever, leave her for a minute or two. Build it up every day, during different activities, but don't go too quickly. Hopefully it will build up her resilience for being on her own.

How is she if you start the activity with her and once she’s engaged then you pop off to do things? Then come back and join her, perhaps lengthening the away time gradually.

Or say that she needs to do X or Y by herself while you do your thing, and after that you will do Z together.

If she’s used to having you play with her all the time then the change needs to be gradual I think. She’ll get better at playing alone once she gets used to it.

I often suggest my DD do a jigsaw or colouring by herself and then she can show me the finished piece afterwards. Or play on the iPad for 30 mins which she enjoys. She’s also just started getting into Lego and can get really engrossed in building things.

If she really won’t then just crack on doing what you need to do. I’m sure she’ll start to find it boring trailing around after you and decide to do something else eventually.

I have an only who is now 11 and miles more independent than at 6, so it does get better . I've always had a rule of alternating between playing and chores so "play" "chore" "play" "chore". Probably 30 mins play, 30 mins chores... to begin with you may need to put some effort into helping them to decide what to play without you...

Good luck

Some great suggestions here thank you.
She does play on her tablet and watch tv but wants me to be with her all the time and if we are playing together but I have to go and do something else she will just turn the tv on. Which I don't mind occasionally but I want the part of her brain to be fired up to think of playing alone.
Thank you to those who have left useful tips :) I really appreciate it