Feel guilty if not playing with LO all the time..?

[nicola1712]

My LO is nearly 17 months old and at the moment I am a full time mum to her (currently looking for a part time job)

We spend our days doing activities inside and outside the home, visiting friends and relatives and park visits, swimming etc.

If I have nothing planned for a day I panic the night before about what to do with my LO because I panic that she will get bored during the day jsut being in and playing. I try to play with her, read to her, watch tv etc all the usual most of the day but find I am exhausted, run out of ideas and never get anything done around the house.

I just feel so guilty if I leave her to play on her own...but now am worrying that she will never learn how to amuse herself if I don't leave her.

So just wondered how much time people spend one to one with thier LOs and how much time they spend on their own?

Any advice gratefully received...

xxx

[littlelotty]

Hi Nicola

I am very much like you and try to do everything and think i have too but recently i have tried to leave her a bit and to be honest she has done it on her own accord - we changed her bedroom around alot and she now loves it so much she plays in there and also downstairs with her toy kitchen and babies and i am there in the background but they do need to learn how to amuse themselves and learn many other things from that - they need to problem solve, develop their own immagination etc etc so dont ever worry if you havent played with LO all the time - it is part of their development.

I dont know if that helps but it sounds like you are doing a fantastic job - just try not to wear yourself out!!!

Littlelotty
xx

[nicola1712]

Thanks LL that reassures me.....

We are thinking of trying for number 2 soon so I keep thinking she will need to be able to amuse herself when I am busy with baby so I should start letting her be a bit. We will be moving her into a bigger room once I am pregnant so she can have more toys in there too, cos her room is very small at the moment.

She sat yesterday evening lining up the animals from her ark (which I do and name them at the same time and until now she never took much notice....that's what I thought anyway...) for about five/ten mins on her own which I was well chuffed with. She really concentrated and was totally absorbed, making sure they all stood up properly bless her.

xxx

[phild09]

She sounds really clever & you sound like you're doing a great job! ;D

TBH from an early age my lo (now 6 months) always amused himself brilliantly & I just have a cuppa and go on the laptop. I used to feel guilty but now I refuse to - after all mums need a break too!

I do play with him lots too but sometimes by the end of the day he ends up on his play mat in front of the TV...

I wouldn't feel bad about it, being a fulltime mum is a hard enough job as it is sometimes without being a full time childrens entertainer too! If she can play on her own that's brilliant, some kids find it really difficult.
xxx