Does your 'only' child play by themselves? [Archive] - Bub Hub Pregnancy & Parenting Forum

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Petlover

17-01-2009, 13:36

My 5 year old never does, maybe every few days for a few minutes at a time. She wants to either play various make believe games with me or I keep her busy with activities. I like her to have mates over but that's not always possible and some days, like today!, I just wish she could chill back in her own space a bit and entertain herself so I can relax or get things done if I feel like it. So do your kids entertain themselves?

subaruforestermum

17-01-2009, 14:01

Yep he does..... All the time, he will play by himself, sometimes he involves me, but he has a great imagination that he utilises very well....

And he knows that I cant always PLAY with him...

Veritas

17-01-2009, 14:16

Yep he does..... All the time, he will play by himself, sometimes he involves me, but he has a great imagination that he utilises very well....

And he knows that I cant always PLAY with him...

Same same....

P is very very independent in almost everything she does.... she is forever wandering around telling stories.... making dolls talk, talking to things she is playing with, and although at times she likes to include me, she is more often than not happy just to do her own thing....

I am very grateful for this as I can't imagine how different and stressful our day to day lives would be if she wanted my attention 24/7....

aquarius

21-01-2009, 13:59

My DD only child almost 2 yrs plays by herself all the time - in fact, she can get quite cross if she's playing on her own and me or her dad or her carer at daycare comes over and sits next to her - she'll get up and go somewhere else to play by herself!!!

i notice your DD is 5 yrs old, do you think maybe it's that age group that wants more attention from their parents and is not so good at playing on their own like they were when they were younger? i dunno, but i do often wonder if my DD will still like to play on her own as much once she's a bit older. also i guess it depends on the personality of the individual child, how independent they are?

i can imagine it must get very frustrating at times :yes:

faroutbrusselsprout

21-01-2009, 14:06

My 4 1/2 yr old is GREAT at it! Thank goodness! As long as he's not tired and not hungry he can entertain himself for hours.
He entertains himself every morning for up to 2 hours at his art and craft table. I can have an extra lie in, shower, dress, have breakfast and he's happy on his own.
His independence and creativity has improved drastically since we moved last year and got foxtel cut off....:detective:

Petlover

21-01-2009, 15:33

Hmmm, maybe its to do with the individual personality. She only likes playing games with me or anyone available and no matter what I buy her she is not really interested. Oh well shes off to school next week and that will be a whole new thing for her so might see some changes then.

delirium

21-01-2009, 15:46

It depends on my 4 y.o's mood :rolleyes: Some days she will happily entertain herself and watch a DVD in her room. Other days she is stubborn and I have to keep her happy.

I think it really depends on the child's personality. Some kids are just more needy (like my DS :rolleyes:) for your time and don't like to play alone.

Will she paint/draw/use play dough by herself?

jaidynsmylilman

09-02-2009, 17:22

I have a 2 yr old boy that gets up in the morning by himself and switches the telly onto nickolodeon or tht baby channel on foxtel and sits there till i get up (mind you he gets up at 6am). Im am always sick mostly in hot weather i cannot do a thing if i even if i do something that overheats a lilttle i feel like fainting my son knows that so he entertains himself by watching telly or going into his room to play. Lately he has been more attentive towards me always giving me cuddles. wakes up in the middle of the night to make sure im okay when im fast asleep so i kinda get cranky with him waking me up.
Now its him wanting me to draw with him constantly today i think ive drawn 5 boats 3 cats, 3 trees, 3flowers, countless hearts (thinking i might need to get some paint and let him go wild). it also has to do with age as well my 2 yr old keeps himself entertained talks to himself and his toys then other days he doesnt leave my side. Maybe ask ur daughter to go draw some pictures to hang up or allocate her time to do things by herself let her lose with some cheap makeup then after he has prettied herself up take photos.

Queen

09-02-2009, 17:26

Chunkydunks

09-02-2009, 17:39

Jender

09-02-2009, 18:09

Yep - mine plays by herself for an hour in the morning and at night before bed. Basically, when she is in her playroom/bedroom which is upstairs she is fine. She does the same at nap time - sometimes will play for 2 hours before deciding to sleep

naiwen

09-02-2009, 18:10

Yep mine does, he is not yet two though so perhaps it is different when they are older.

Seekrit

09-02-2009, 18:13

My at-the-moment-the-only-one plays sometimes by himself, sometimes with me... but mostly with the dog :p
Jam's his bestie.. hehe I can't imagine what he'd be like without her.

SimplyMum

10-02-2009, 11:13

DS is generally pretty good. Plays by himself most of the time. Lately he has been a bit clingy though with the 'I want Mummy' spiel.

He is fairly independent- he was very excited to show me the other day that he can pour his own glass of milk!

In saying this, he can be rather messy. Not the neatest of kids so there are restrictions.

He's also not really into his toys all that much. Loves his trains but that's pretty much where it stops.

SmileyBJ

13-02-2009, 09:46

Ds plays well by himself however his still quite young. Ive encouraged him being independant from the start though, as theres no way im able to hang about to entertain him.

jag5000

13-02-2009, 10:27

DD was terrible at playing by herself.. and lord knows I encouraged it! even now at 10 she's not good. She'll watch TV by herself or spend maybe 10 mins outside jumping on the trampoline, but that's about it. Luckily she's now at the age that she calls friends on the phone etc. I REALLY hope DS isn't like this (so far at only 10 months he's not :)) I love DD but she is 'draining' IYKWIM? always has been like that. I have bought her lots of activities and imaginative toys over the years to encourage her to play solo but it didn't really help.

tyler's mum

08-03-2009, 10:26

Tyler plays on her own but she has more fun when with other kids. She go'd to day care wed & fri and on thur play group. She gets bored when its just us to at home and alway asking when is she goin to day care.

RoarsomeMum

08-03-2009, 10:40

My 15 month old def does.. she will sit and read or make her toy's interact with her.. she gets mega annoyed if I TRY to join in!!!!!!! But she will instigate play with me too.. (on HER terms :yes:) It's very interesting to see.

SomewhereOverTheRainbow

09-03-2009, 08:04

Yup, my son is almost 7 and he has always played well by himself. He's also a kid who will wake up at 6am and watch cartoons or sometimes sit in bed without waking us up.

kayla

13-03-2009, 23:19

Oh nic236 that sounds like my son. He is also 7 years old. He wakes up around 6:30 and first thing he does is turns on the t.v. he will watch spongebob and power rangers and some other cartoon shows until about 8 and then he goes on his computer and plays with his pets on webkinz.com while i make him breakfast, he sometimes wants to make himself breakfast. Its almost like he wants to grow up before his time.

lochiebearsmum

05-04-2009, 18:24

My DS (2)has never played by himself... i always have to be with him... today he even took my mobile out of my hand, then patted his bottom and said come on mum! I have recently introduced Hi5 and wiggles to him which gives me a break sometimes but mostly we are playing together... i dont really mind too much im quite sure he will be my one and only so i savor every minute he wants to spend with me all too soon i will be embarrasing and i will be wishing these days back!

Susan Mac

15-02-2010, 15:38

I am feeling very envious of all of you who have children who do play by themselves!!!

DS is nearing 3 1/2 and doesn't much like his own company. I came on bubhub today looking for advice on this very topic from people with only one child.

Some days he's happy to wander off to his room, or bring toys to the lounge room and play by himself, but usually only for 10 - 15 minutes at a time. Then we go through patches, like at the moment, when he is only happy to play by himself for as long as it takes him to get the toys out, then he's looking for someone to play with. Today, I did a craft activity with him, then had a few jobs to do before I did something else with him. I got as far as putting half the washing in the machine when he's at the laundry door with an armful of books!

As much as I love him, it's hard work having to keep him entertained all day. I'm not really a little kid person, and find it hard to stay in a little kid frame of mind all day. He's only allowed to watch 1 - 1 1/2 hours of tv a day, and we have several mornings a week when we are doing things. We've even put him in kindy a morning a week a year earlier than anticipated because he's bored and lonely at home.

I'm just exhausted. And I'm frustrated by the notion that I've got it easier than my friends with several children because I've only got one. Grrr.

RaryGirl

15-02-2010, 17:24

My DD was an only child for nearly 9 years before siblings came along, she was always fantastic at entertaining herself. I often had to watch shows she had created by herself, she'd dress up, play with dolls, draw etc.

She didn't really get interested in tv until she was at least 4/5 and even then would only watch it for 5 minutes at most ... she'd rather play with all her stuff.

MummaBear03

15-02-2010, 18:56

Mine had to learn early to play alone. Poor kid has always been the only child in a single parent family and I've worked since she was a baby so she had to learn to play alone so I could get things done around the house and do study on weekends as well. I feel bad about it, but that's life for us at the moment so she just had to learn to play alone since we had no tv or computer for a long time as well.

supa_star323

15-02-2010, 18:59

My ds does, but I'd say ten minutes max before he wants my help. If I'm trying to do something portable he is fine to play 'by himself' if I sit with him though.

I found praising him when he does play by himself has really helped.

LeanneJO

10-03-2010, 12:44

Only if there is cars involved!

mumma sienna

10-03-2010, 12:55

I am feeling very envious of all of you who have children who do play by themselves!!!

Me too!!! DD is 3.5yrs old and lways wants me to play with her, read books with her (even if she is the one 'reading') etc etc!!!

i think it does come down to individual personalities!!! we want to have another one in the next year or so, so i don't mind having this 1 on 1 time with her now, before she's off to school and another bub gets some of my attention!! in saying that though... it's exhausting!!!! i have to do all my study and housework once she's asleep.... and lately she has been fighting bedtime..grrrr!!! i work, so i think for DD it is just craving my attention, because i am not always there to play with!