We have boy, girl boy and as I clean DD's room, both boys are in the garden with DH hammering and DD is watching CBeebies on her own

[NotABanana]

Having another girl to keep her company is not an option. How do others manage with the same set up so if you are busy, the single sex child isn't just left?

good question and mine are too young at the moment and it may be different as dd & ds2 are twins and could alienate ds1 - next baby could be another boy - but dd (even at 14 mths) is so bossy she wouldn't be left out

Why do you need to keep her company?

Well I have girl, girl, boy, but Ds more or less occupies himself, although he will play with his sisters too.

I just felt sorry for her being on her own, though obviously she was happy watching tv. I just would have preferred her to be playing out in the garden.

why cant she go out and hammer as well?

She can, but she doesn't want too.

I guess Dh being a boy does things the boys are more involved with.

can she not help you clean?

You know what it is lke when you just want to get it done. I have finished now and are making lunch. There just is always so much to do. TV is now off and I have suggested she play outside. She will probably do some colouring.

Lerning to occupy yourself is a good life lesson me thinks.

What's the issue here - why can't she just do what she wants round the house?

I don't think it's necessarily a gender thing, it's an individual thing. I've got 3 boys and sometimes 2 are out and one is in chilling in the playroom. I had 2 brothers and I wasn't lonely or anything - sometimes I did my own thing, sometimes I played with them.

Don't see the problem with her entertaining herself personally.

I understand what you mean. I've got boy, girl, boy too. However, it is ds1 who is often found on his own atm, whilst dd plays mother to ds2. I often feel guilty about this (not over the top guilty obviously, but find myself thinking about it iyswim) as ds1 and dd were really close before ds2 came along.
but i have a feeling that the balance will shift again in the next 18 months as ds2 gets older and wants to play with ds1, and then dd will be on her own playing by herself.

Just wanted to say all of that as I felt like you were getting attacked. I'm sure you did realise that everyone likes down time, but you were just voicing a thought.

How old is dd?

I have 3 DDs and i DS and he does seem to be alone a bit more,but mine are all such varying ages,(from 18 to 2) that it isn't as noticable ifyswim.
Have noticed with friends DSs that they tend to do things with dad and the DDs seem a bit left out sometimes.
Luckily,I am quite happy to forego watching football to go shopping with the girls!

I am the eldest of 3 girls and my 2 younger siblings were much closer in age to each other and always did things together (organised by my mother who never thought to include me in anything). I grew up feeling very excluded and left out and I have just had a chat with one of my sisters about this as I don't want to continue feeling left out as an adult.

I think it's important to make sure all the children do stuff together at some point, I wouldn't want any child to grow up feeling lonely, left out and excluded like I did.

Well I have only one child (not through choice) and he gets left alone quite a lot (as much as I can get away with anyway

Life isn't perfect and she may well wish she grew up with a sister. I often wish I had a brother (instead of 2 sisters) and I'm sure ds will wish he had any siblings at some point.

The main thing really is whether she feels lonely or whether she is quite happy doing her own thing. However even if she is a bit lonely sometimes, that is not the end of the world really assuming it isn't all the time.