How much do you interact with your kids?

I think my kids probably get more attention than most because they have grandma and grandpa over quite a bit and both my husband and I are at home right now. However, they will play amongst themselves in their baby safe area for a LONG time (they've been playing for an hour and a half quietly and aren't letting up) and I often just let them play without interference. I also get down on the ground with them and tickle and giggle and we get out of the house together and stuff, but I sometimes worry that I am not interacting with them enough. I find that if I interfere in play time they will just compete for who gets to cling to mommy the most, so I like to just let them be. That's good for them, right?????

 

Mine are 12.5 months, but we're also in the phase of "who can cling to Mommy most" when I get down to play with them. If they're happy, I leave them for a while. One of our couches is in their safety yard area, so sometimes I sit on that so I'm in the area with them but out of jungle gym reach. But yep, as soon as I get down on the floor, it's attack Mommy time and they cease "playing." I hope it's just a phase, so I can get back to playing with them more.

But I also know that our oldest, who's 6.5, didn't have anyone except Mommy and Daddy to entertain him for 5.5 years so he still expects us to play with him most of the time. So, overall, I think it's really good for them to be interacting with each other.

Laura

 

unless my children are "demanding" a time-in, i let them play on their own. ardon:

 

My oldest ds had my undivided attention, because he was alone. I was on the floor with him all the time, and used his naps or after bedtime to do what little housework I had (I didn't realize how little it was with just one kid! :lol. I spent a good bit of time with my oldest dd because ds was in preschool and then school. And now I have twins! They actually play very good together, sometimes even great, so I let them play! They have a built in playmate, and I am taking advantage of it. If they want my attention that's fine, but if they are playing good, I don't interrupt. They played with the big kids in the twins bedroom and with the wooden train track all day the other day! They only came out for lunch, and I had to stop them at naptime so they could nap! :wub:

 

That's the way it's always been around here too. :good: I've gone through phases where I worried I was not interacting enough but they always let me know when they want me to play AND if I interfere I usually cause problems... they always fight more when I'm involved. :umm:

 

That's been my experience. If I get involved without being "invited", they usually don't want me around or it causes fights. So I let them come to me...my two are pretty good about playing independently.

 

Mine do not play that much independently. I play with them for most of the day. When they do play on their own, I let them be.

 

I'm with you. The boys are so into playing together that I hate to disrupt their play because as soon as I get down on the ground it's beat up Mommy time and personally I don't getting "love taps" on the face and my glasses being ripped off my face, especially since I can't afford a new pair...lol.

They also play tug of war with me when I stand up near them. They both latch on to each leg and start pulling on the strings of my lounge around the house pants and end up pulling them off. :/ So I try and avoid it although I find it very endearing it's just annoying when I'm trying to walk to the bathroom with a kid attached to eat leg not allowing me to move.

When they are up and playing they play with eachother non-stop. I watch and sit with them to make sure no one gets hurt and we play the clapping game and I make faces at them to get them laughing. They are very very good at entertaining eachother.

I often find myself longing for the days that when you held your baby they snuggled right into your arms, got cozy and went to sleep. Now when I try that it's squirm city!!

But they are happy and the second they get upset or hurt I am RIGHT there to swoop them up and hold them tight, rocking back and forth and making sure they are all better again and to see if I get a big beautiful smile from them.

 

My guys have gone back and forth a few times with regards to how much attention they need when they're playing. Sometimes they'll play independently for hours, and I let 'em be! Then they'll have a month or so when they really want me to be with them constantly. I pretty much let them lead and give them as much interaction and attention as they want.

 

I play with my girls all day long and if I'm not in the same room as them then they will come find me and make me be in the same room with them. Sometimes, I find that if I spend just a few minute with them at a time that they can play more by themselves.

 

I think you are doing great. It is hard to go from this constant contact to letting them practice some independence. And they are learning a lot from each other. When I am cleaning up after a meal or putting in laundry sometimes I hear laughing or fighting and I peek to see what is going on. I bring a whole different dynamic to the room it seems now. They become competitive for me. So IMO is it important to encourage independent play frequently. I stop and do things a lot with them, but I equally fade out of the way, even though I am very present and watching.

 

I think independent play is good for kids. When mine are playing well on their own, I let them play but I stay in the room with them most of the time (other than going to the restroom, running upstairs to throw laundry in the dryer, etc.) They'll frequently come over to me to ask me to read them a book, cuddle for a bit, etc. I make sure I have time every day when I'm down on the floor playing with them, but I don't think I need to be constantly interacting.