Normal but...how to handle?

[Beansandneedles]

My children are 5 and 2. They have pretty average attention spans for people of their age.

When I have a task to do they generally start out being excited about the task (lovely) and wanting to help (s.l.o.w.l.y). Fine. After a short while they get bored of helping (no problem) and wander off to do other things (great). However they very quickly get bored of this and then come back to ask for my input/attention in their new tasks whilst I am still doing the original thing. For example today I'm planting in the garden. There are things they can do (they have their own part of the garden, their own tools and seeds), other toys (slide, swing, seesaw, balls), but they want to play tennis...with me. I've explained I'm not available and they need to keep busy but oh my goodness the nagging !!

Am I expecting too much that I would be able to get a job done for half an hour or an hour or something (not just gardening, it's the same whenever I try to do a task which they get bored of and are therefore not involved with by their own choice) and they are nearby me but without my undivided attention? If I sit and watch them with a coffee or something they'll play for AGES but as soon as I am otherwise engaged they need me desperately.

My kids are the same, but I'm not even allowed to sit down while they play. We've just had to accept that if something needs doing we need childcare or one of us takes them out.
It does get easier though and they can entertain themselves much more now. 2 years old is still quite little.

The 5 year old should be able to do this a bit.

2 year old, no chance.

Sounds completely normal to me OP! Just keep repeating "yes sweetie, I'll come and help you with that when I've finished doing this".

I shall keep repeating!! I think it's just a matter of holding fast that it isn't my job to entertain them, which they're not used to accepting as a truth!

My dcs are the same age. I've pretty much accepted that I won't get anything done around the house like that until the youngest is in nursery, or DH can be around to look after them (we don't have any family who could help). I get some things done once they're in bed, but anything in the garden is hard as it's dark by that time.

I used to offer a piece of cheese as a distraction from unwanted/continual questioning.

Once mouth is filled with cheese, exit post haste.

I love this 😂

I got about half my gardening done. We stopped for lunch, then whilst they had a yogurt I kept pottering. When they came out to pester me I pointed out they hadn't cleared their yogurt pots and spoons away and oddly they disappeared for a bit. Strange that!

Definitely going to try the cheese thing next time.

2 year old- no ways! Ha! Fat chance.

My 3yos do this. If I sit in the playroom with them I can watch them for ages. I feel like I'm wasting time but they might play/draw with very little support for 2hr. If I try to do anything with either of their sisters they seem to ALWAYS desperately needme orthey start fighting! I think my eldest was probably the same, but as I had 1 DC instead of 4 I could cope... now I find it flipping frustrating! Eldest wanted me to help her unpick her cross stitch as it has gone all knotty at the back. Suddenly the baby does a huge poo and starts to grizzle. So my boys need me NOW! NOWNOWNOW! They'd been totally oblivious to me for the previous 30 minutes while eldest was stitching and baby was asleep 😂