What do you do when your DC is playing?

[Coldhands]

My DS is 2.3. He plays quite happily on his own for a while and I am just sitting there on the sofa. If I read the paper he has this annoying habit of driving his trains across it or throwing himself over the paper so I can't read it. If I do nothing, he takes no notice of me and plays.

Now he is getting bigger and entertaining himself more, if you are not doing housework, what do you do? I go on the computer for an hour in the mornings while he watches tv, I am usually out in the afternoons, friends house, park or toddler group, but not every day.

Also how much do you actually sit and play with them? I feel guilty as I get very bored sat pushing some trains around in a circle.

I read books while making inane conversations and asking lots of questions and not listening to the answers!

I go on mumsnet!

I do some playing with DS but mostly at home he plays on his own, or "helps" me with the housework. I don't tend to do the things like pushing trains round, but things like building towers for him to knock over, reading books, and rough and tumble like tickling, chasing, etc.

I feel guilty not playing with them enough too. Recently read an article on play therapy, and what parents can do at home to encourage kids to open up with their feelings. Made me want to play abit more. So boring though....

Sounds like me OhWhatNooooow

You are not the only one who finds playing with children boring, every now and then would be fine it's the everyday which is grinding. I make sure that I have an activity (usually out of the house but as summer comes will include the garden) for about 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the afternoon which involves both of us which makes me feel a little less guilty at ignoring him (well not ignoring but just keeping one eye on him) the rest of the time. I tend to do housework, MN, read. I think as he gets older I will find it easier to do things with him as I like cooking, arts&crafts etc but he is too young for these atm.
Right now he is pushing his bob the builder truck around the garden and putting things into the seat pocket whilst I MN but we have been swimming together already this morning and done some crayonning.

what my long-winded post is trying to say: you are not alone.

I have a friend who plays with her DC all the time. I don't, apart from anything else I find it, shhhh....., boring.

Of course, I like some things, I love reading to them, will give them an occasional push to get started on the swing and play 5 minutes of football. I will get out lots of stuff every now and again and start them off with things, but then back off.

I make myself feel better about this by thinking they have each other to play with ( 2.7 yrs age diff, boy and girl, get on OK ), they both have good social lives and they need to learn to play on their own a bit.

My friends kids do demand more involvement and aren't as able to play on their own. This could be nothing to do with the amount she plays with them of course.

Whilst they are playing I get on with my life ( well, as much as you can whilst tied to the house and keeping an eye and ear out for scrapping etc ).

I don't think it's good to pla with your dcs all the time, limits their imagination and creativity and can be controlling.

Dd now 3.7 plays brillinatly on her won, I do some stuff with her reading, planting, jigsaws, art, cooking and we go out for at least 2 hours on the days I'm with her to an activity/museum/gallery/park. I think that's enough, I won't get involved in her imaginary games with the ahppyland people/dolls/fifi house etc. as I just find it too boring and like my brain's dribbling out of my ears.

Ds is only 7 months and just likes mouthing things and chucking stuff about at the mo but I'm hoping he'll be able to play alone as I don't relish the thought of endless hours of duplo. I will of course read to him and do crafty stuff, that's still spending time with him.

I have a friend who has played relentlessly with both her ds from the day they wereborn. The older one has extremely poor social skills, is glued to her side at socila gatherings and can be v agressive with other dcs. H'es UNABLE to amuse himself in any way. It make sspending time with her very boring because all we do all day is play with the dcs rather than have a cuppa and a conversation! I also feel with some dcs the more attention you give them the more they crave it, like an attnetion junkie!

I agree that playing with them too much can mean that they don't know how to entertain themselves.

My DS is pretty good at entertaining himself which I am very glad about. I am trying to make sure I have a good balance.

A friend of mine worked full time and she said her DD was so used to being entertained at nursery all the time, she couldn't entertain herself at all. Another friend tends to drop whatever she is doing once her DCs want some attention which means they are very in your face if you don't acknowledge them straight away.

My DD is 20 months and I mn a lot!

I'm the same as Libra really - get out of the house lots so that when we are at home it's more of a free play thing.

Mind you, our out of the house expeditions are as likely to be supermarket shopping or dog walking as music classes, baby gym or toddler group.

I'm glad people admit they find the playing boring. I'm always amazed at FIL's capacity to play games with DD, but then he only sees her for a few hours a month so it's probably a lot more fun for him!

I do the start her off then back off thing too. Try to read lots as well.

To be honest, it's not one of those things I worry about - if she needs attention she's not backwards in asking for it!

I agree you're not alone....I find it incredibly boring too. If we are home during the day then I will do some sort of activity for my 2.7 yr old son, such as painting, cake making, sand and water in the garden. However, I have started to worry that perhaps I am over simulating him because he will always ask "what's next mummy?" I just can't keep up!

I do let him get on with it most of the time, we have a play room and I will go in there with him I will read and he will potter about, then we have the garden so again we will go out there and talk about the bugs! I'll go on the lap top for a little while but I have a four month old that I am normally feeding, nappy changing, cleaning up puke, blah blah blah.