Author Topic: Time spend with Toddler Vs independent play  (Read 1431 times)

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Offline *Natasha*

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Time spend with Toddler Vs independent play
« on: November 12, 2006, 23:56:17 pm »
I often worry that i don't spend enough time with DD playing. She has always been very independent except when she is sick or teething. She is pretty advanced for her age and has always done things early. She often brings her blocks or a book to me for us to do together but other than that she happily plays on her own. I guess i worry i don't spend enough time with her so i wonder how much time do others spend with their Toddlers? We always go for a walk in the afternoon with the dog and she often comes out and helps me hang out the washing.

Natasha proud Mum to:

My big princess Catherine 7/8/05
My little princess Mirelle 17/10/07

lilmonkey

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Re: Time spend with Toddler Vs independent play
« Reply #1 on: November 13, 2006, 14:38:53 pm »
Natasha, I wouldn't worry about it as it seems that your dd is happy with how much time she spends with you.  It seems that she is developing very well.  She knows that she is safe to go and play by herself and can always come back to you for reassurance. 

Enjoy this phase!  Pretty soon, you dd will be clingy onto you and you wish that she can play by herself again.  ;D  My dd goes through phases of independency and clingyness every few months.  I've read that children (babies & toddlers) will have these phases until they are school-age.   

HTH

Offline maggie2

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Re: Time spend with Toddler Vs independent play
« Reply #2 on: November 15, 2006, 13:46:32 pm »
Natasha,
I also think you are very lucky to have a lo that plays independently!  Enjoy it while you can!

Do you ever take her to a play group or friends house where she has a chance to interact with other children her age?  I take ds to a play gym where he has a great time and it makes me feel good because he interacts with all the children there, and I feel like he's learning valuable lessons about being social and communicating with others his own age, etc.

The only other thing I would recommend is to set aside time every day to read to her (which it sounds like you do anyway).  It would be good bonding time, also - my MIL is a reading specialist and says that it's amazing how advanced some children are in terms of reading - she says it all comes down to how much they are read to as babies/children.  This would also be a good activity to do if you're looking for a way to get some quality time from your little independant girl...

I also wanted to wish you a happy birthday - I noticed that you're turning 30 soon!  I just crossed that milestone myself!  It's not so bad ;)
Maggie

Offline evanskimberley

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Re: Time spend with Toddler Vs independent play
« Reply #3 on: November 15, 2006, 14:27:12 pm »
I worry about that too!!! But know she is a bit older, she wants me to play with her a bit more, to role play and to play the more mature games like snap and pairs that need 2 players. She has her times of independence still and can occcupy herself more than happily for over an hour, but other days she wants me all the time!
Just keep an eye on her getting frutrated with things, i got so used to leaving her to it cos that is what she preferred, that when she got to about 20 months and started to try more advanced things, she'd get too frutrated and then wuold have a bit of a meltdown cos I hadn't been there to intervene and help. She stopped doing pussles for ages cos of this, but now wer're back into them cos i make sure I'm there with her for those kind of things.
Kimberley


Offline CharlotteandCharlie

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Re: Time spend with Toddler Vs independent play
« Reply #4 on: November 16, 2006, 22:04:30 pm »
Natasha its nice to read your post in a way.  I feel this way daily. 

We go to play group once maybe twice a week and go "out" once a day but the day is still so long.  I feel terrible when she plays alone for too long but it is nice too.  What frustrates me is that I don't know what to do with her when she does want me. 

She doesn't color yet, play with paint, flash cards.  I've tried forts but mostly we snuggle and "wrestle" and giggle.  Really though this is only minutes at a time till she's off to something else.

Do you feel like they are at an age that is too young from crafts and alike?

Charlotte mom to
Charlie Anne August 7, 2005
Campbell Rose March 27, 2007
And wife to the man of my dreams.

Offline RachelzMommy

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Re: Time spend with Toddler Vs independent play
« Reply #5 on: November 18, 2006, 04:06:57 am »
I interact a lot with Rachel, partly because she seems to like me being in the area, and partly because I have mommy guilt if I don't read every book she brings me, or do everything I can with her while she's still little enough to want my attention. 

Mostly here's how our days usually end up: Wake up, bottle, diaper change, get dressed (wash face, comb hair, brush teeth, etc.) and then she's off running around the family room.  Usually I go into the kitchen which is right next to the big family room and try and make myself some coffee and breakfast.  She's very interested in coloring and crayons and will usually head straight for her coloring desk.  Sometimes she'll end up just bringing stuff into the kitchen and sitting on the floor near me, or taking the magnets off the fridge till I'm finished doing whatever it is I need to do.  I'll usually eat and drink my coffee on the go following her from room to room downstairs.  I just keep an eye on her, and participate in some of the things she likes to do.  We have a basket of fake food that she loves to dump out and put back.  So I'll tell her what each food is, and also we pretend to eat it.  Rachel is a very busy little girl, and moves around from activity to activity quickly.  She doesn't tend to get over frustrated with stuff because she just moves on.  My goal is to catch her at an activity, such as a puzzle, and try to help her with it before she gives up or moves on to something else.  We read books a lot, sometimes she likes to read little books to herself, and other times she will bring me her song book and we sing songs.  She pretends a lot, diapering her stuffed animals, and feeding them and dancing with them.  We go upstairs at some point and I get dressed and cleaned.  She takes every shoe out of my closet and brings it to me to put on my feet.  We pretend spritz our hair with hairspray, and then we spray every animal or doll we find.  Back downstairs for breakfast and then we will either go play outside with balls or in the swing or color with sidewalk chalk.  (I have decided I hate sidewalk chalk because it stains clothes and makes a big mess)  Or, we go to the library.  Rachel loves the children's section and will take books out and we look at them or read them and sit in the little kid chairs.  Then at home, she has a snack and watches a Baby Einstein video and goes down for a nap.  When she wakes up from her nap she has lunch, and then we will usually go to the park or to a friend's house to play outside.  Then it's a snack and a video while I make dinner.  Then dinner, walk with daddy, bath, and bed.  Somehow, even though it seems like we don't do a whole lot, I have a whole lot of fun just watching her play and doing what I can to interact with her.  She isn't clingy at all, though she does like me to be in the room with her, and if I'm not she'll bring toys and stuff to the area that I am in.  This was a problem when I was trying to cook dinner, which is how I ended up putting a video on for her.  It seems to keep her interested enough not to come into the kitchen.  I also set aside a cabinet in the kitchen and put all sorts of cups and spoons, etc. in there so if she does come in there she has some entertainment.