Entertaining clingy baby?

[whitelanner]

I am looking for tips and ideas how to entertain a 6 months old attention-seeker baby girl with the least effort. For example on those mornings, when you didn't sleep well and you don't function before your 3 coffee.

What I tried:

• Give her teether toys.
• Give her other toys.
• Show her books.
• Play with musical toys.
• Tummy time, gym time.
• Jumparoo
• Seat me up
• Building blocks
• Standing up - sitting down - standing up on a loop.
• Call the cats...

These things only entertain her for like 30 seconds (well the cats would do so longer, but they get bored of her...), so even if I do all of them, after like 5 minutes she is asking for more. It's exhausting.

What I can't do when I am this tired: sing and dance and be silly. (This is what she most enjoys though)

HELP!

I got a baby pen for 15 quid off eBay and it’s great! Fill it with toys and cushions etc and I can just crack on until she gets abit bored and grumpy.

Babies have stages.
Different people prefer different stages.

My DM loved babies because they didn't need too much interaction. She was happy to hold them for hours.
I found babies pretty boring and much preferred when they got more interactive.
Neither of us was a better mum or person than the other.

The good news is that no stage lasts that long, so if you aren't enjoying this stage the next one will be along soon.

@Sayitagainwhydontyou

"You don't get to have time to yourself while she's awake." And you are wrong again. I do have time for myself, while she is awake.
Everything is easy for me to manage, no problem there either. I am a super mom. A hero. I have wings.
My life is easy. I am super lucky. I spend hours a day doing what I love to do. I also spend quality time with my baby, that we both enjoy.

Please stop giving me unwanted advice!

[quote whitelanner]@Sayitagainwhydontyou

"You don't get to have time to yourself while she's awake." And you are wrong again. I do have time for myself, while she is awake.
Everything is easy for me to manage, no problem there either. I am a super mom. A hero. I have wings.
My life is easy. I am super lucky. I spend hours a day doing what I love to do. I also spend quality time with my baby, that we both enjoy.

Please stop giving me unwanted advice![/quote]
You did, when she was a tiny baby. Now she's growing up, she needs more input. That happens as they get older. It's just one of those things. Treasure naptime and enjoy your baby while she's awake.

@Letsallscreamatthesistene

Thanks, I am a charmer to those who deserve it. I am too old to accept the bullsht anymore... I hate when people think they have the absolute truth and they want to teach me a lesson. I don't even accept lessons from my own family. Why would I give a sht to strangers' opinion?

Are you serious?!

People are trying to be nice and give you tips. I did upthread but you didnt want to do it, along with a long list of other things you didnt want to try. There's no need to be so aggressive.

@Sayitagainwhydontyou

Nope. Wrong again. I still do. I will do.

[quote whitelanner]@Sayitagainwhydontyou

Nope. Wrong again. I still do. I will do.[/quote]
Sure you will sweetie. Shooting down all the suggestions you're given is an excellent way to move forward.

@Letsallscreamatthesistene

Your tip was to go for a walk... when I specifically said in my post, that "lest effort" and on those mornings when you didn't sleep well... and you want to have 3 coffees in the morning. On mornings like this, the last thing you want to do is to go for a walk... especially if it's raining.

Since I didn't accept your advice you stopped being nice. If you provoke me, you get my non-charming side. That's life.

And I thanked numerous times the helpful tips to those who were really nice and helpful.

Breaking news - life does not continue as normal after parenthood.

Ok OP.

Have a great evening.

@Sayitagainwhydontyou

I only shot down the uncalled advice.

Reread your second comment. You shot down all the advice you were given. At that point people started to gently suggest that you might need to reassess. Then you got incredibly aggy. Maybe you're drinking too much coffee. 3 cups in a morning is an awful lot, especially if you're older, as you say.

@Sayitagainwhydontyou

"Breaking news - life does not continue as normal after parenthood."

Really? Wow... Who would have thought.
Does it mean we must stop trying making it as normal as humanly possible? NOPE.

I will try as long as I can breath... I am a fighter, I am an innovator, a problem solver, a thinker, a great organizer. I am great at multi-functioning and at many many other things. I am awesome.

Life is good to me, always have been. My life is fantastic. I enjoy every minute of it and plan to do so moving forward.

Sorry, but not sorry.

Im very happy for you. I suggest you focus on enjoying your daughter, rather than your coffee. Priorities.

@Sayitagainwhydontyou

"You shot down all the advice you were given. "

I shot down a few tips at the beginning, that I have already tried and did not work or that would not work. And I took a mental list of the following tips that were useful, I just didn't thank them one by one.

But I wasted way to much time on you. I am gonna go and have a nice long bubble bath.

@Sayitagainwhydontyou

I suggest you start enjoying your life instead of keep giving unwanted advice to people who enjoy their life...

A ball pit. I have a paddling pool filled with balls set up. My eight month old loves this = five free minutes.

At seven months, she started pulling herself up on furniture and trying to cruise. That is when it really gets tiring, hovering behind them until they learn how to move around safely. Hopefully your daughter will be less quick to start moving about!

Not sure if this had been mentioned but Etta Loves does great sensory scarves that held my baby’s attention for a bit.

Also, super simple songs on YouTube or baby sensory videos! Good luck OP. I know it’s tough but it gets easier (ish)

@whitelanner you are being quite defensive here, so I hope you take this the right way.

At 6 months their personalities come out way more. They still can't manipulate you, but they do want more than the newborn eat, sleep, poop, repeat life.

I know you've poo pood CBeebies but I suggest you have a look at The Baby Club. It's a great programme with lots of ideas for you and baby. They have a new sensory one starting soon and in the night garden is like some kind of trip and calms them all down. Hey Duggee is entertaining for you.

However, other posters are right in that times have changed and your me time is going to change. On those hard mornings just focus on getting to nap 1 around 9:30 and then you can coffee up.

I have 2 kids now and my me time in the day is very limited. Evenings are your friend.