When I was a child, I would spend several hours a day either playing completely on my own or with my bro. and sis. Often, this would be in the garden but it might also be in the house, perhaps reading books for hours on end, drawing, writing stories etc.
Now I've got almost 9 yr old twin sons who seem to have the attention spans of a gnat and who plead and plead for me to play WITH them. DS1 struggles to play alone at all and whilst he'd love to be out in the garden more, as his twin (who's sedentary, slightly Asperger's-like and rather incompatible) won't come out to play, DS1 retreats back into the house.
The one and only thing that will keep them both occupied for any length of time is using their PCs. DS2 uses his a bit more creatively to write synopses of TV shows he invents, stories and endless lists of whatever his current topic of interest. He also watches endless iPlayer clips of various TV programmes.
DS1 plays children's computer games on the net - not the violent sort but games nonetheless. He also looks at pop music videos, watches children's programmes on iPlayer and sometimes makes cards/ designs.
Their tiny attention spans and need for me to play with them all the time long pre-dates getting PCs, so I can't blame computers...although maybe PCs have exacerbated this?
However, I'm sure I'm not the only one who sometimes 'uses' their PC interest to get some time to complete a task, without interruption or do something I want to do for a little while.
Of course I'm torn in two now because I'm desperate for them to be able to occupy themselves for longer periods, so I can do stuff I need to do (I'm a single mum running my own business f/t single-handedly)....BUT...I feel incredibly guilty that the only way to get this, is to let them be on PCs.
There've been a few other things that occupy them a little longer - mostly slightly risky and therefore 'exciting' - though I'm always right in the vicinity - like tending their own minute garden fire, melting candle wax over a candle flame, hammering nails into wood. But this attracts DS1 more than DS2 and of course it needs then to be a good weather day, so we're all outside.
However, the other day, they spent about 12 minutes flitting from one activity (like fires and hammering) to the next and then either wanted me to play or to go back in and use their PCs.
How can I help them to find other all-absorbing things to occupy themselves with (when we can't have playdates I mean), as I did as a child? Is it 'too late' now they've become accustomed to PCs and all their uses? How can I manage their incompatibility and DS1s need to be with either twin or I wherever he is and whatever he does?
I've recently got them doing a bit of lego and playing cards, simple boxed games (they usually hate these) and charades - but they won't at all do these unless I participate and if they try to play alone, it never ever works, as they're so incompatible.
Why can't they be more like I was as a child and are PCs (and thus me giving them one) to blame?