I hear those words all. the. time. Sometimes I have an answer, sometimes I don't. Sometimes (usually when it is the 7th time I've heard that question in an hour) I look at the sweet child asking and think "I could cheerfully send you to your room for the rest of the day". Well, I suppose "next you're going to sit on your bed for four hours until Daddy comes home" is one sort of answer!
Probably not a good one, though. So, dear readers, save my eldest son from such a fate. How do you respond (or how do you think I should respond!) when small children need a constant stream of entertainment?
Keep in mind that he can't read - he's only three - and he's a very active kid. Telling him to sit on the couch and look at books just doesn't work. Neither does reminding him that something fun is happening soon - soon just results in more whining. Ideas?
1 comment:
LOL! I actually said something like that (very cheerfully, like it was an exciting thing to go do) to Emma around that age, and I got a very puzzled and concerned expression in reply. She was almost ready to cry when I burst out laughing, at which point she just looked perplexed. I distracted her with something or other, but I still think about that occasionally and chuckle.
I do remember this stage though, but I'm trying to remember what I did then. After all, being the source of all entertainment for your child is not a good idea! I know one thing I would do quite a bit was involve Emma in what I was doing - if it was laundry, I would ask her to find all the socks and match them, if cooking I would either give her stuff at the sink to play with or I would have her stir or whatever. She would either help enthusitically, or she would lose interest in a bit and go find something on her own to do. If she asked after I asked to her find socks, then I would tell her that I offered her something to do and if she didn't want to take it she was on her own. :-) Of course, if I'm sitting at the computer this doesn't work quite so well!
I'll try and think a bit and see what else I can remember. It is funny how soon I forget this stuff... and rather annoying because I'm having to re-learn and rediscover a lot of things as I deal with some of the same issues with Gregory.
BTW, on a somewhat related note I read an interesting post on a Yahoo group that I've been meaning to send you - I'll email it to you.
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