A is a little tough one when it gets to getting her to play on her own. She can really stick to you and scream for attention. She always needs someone to be with her and play with her. Whether it’s lego or reading a book. Someone must be with her. Sometimes it gets a little tough because you’re trying to get some work done and all you can hear is “mamma khelo” and she clings on to your legs and makes you drag her around….. and suck her thumb 🙄

I try to ignore till I can. Talk to her or sing her some song. Sometimes I try to divert her by giving her a toy. But it only works for a couple of minutes and she is back! Phew!! It can be so exhausting trying to work and keep her occupied. 

A’s boredom busters

But a few days ago she surprised me. My nanny hadn’t turned up for work that day and my cook was also on leave. I had to cook and make sure she was busy (I had no idea how I would manage because trust me it was a first for me!) at first we started off with the same…. clinging, making her sit on the kitchen counter, answering her 10,000 questions. But slowly she wandered off. She went and started playing on her own and made up something. She was telling some story on her own and talking to herself. She gave me a good 1 hour to finish what I had to. 

Somewhere making her like this i think is my fault. There is always someone with her and she has never been left on her own to play. Or maybe that’s just the way she is. Don’t know. But with P I know there were so many times when I wanted to nap or I wanted to get something done and she was always happy to be on her own. Even as a baby if she was awake and I left her in the cot while I slept she would keep herself busy and sleep off. But not my A. She always needed someone’s attention. 

I gradually understood that if she is after me to play with her and I keep putting her off and be busy, she eventually gives up. After a few minutes of persuading she goes off and finds something to do. I don’t have to always give in to her cries. She will play on her own only if I let her. If I keep making an effort to keep her busy she won’t learn to do it on her own. Only if she is bored she will find something of her interest.