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Free play is driving me crazy. Either I'm not doing it right, or my DCKs aren't. Probably a combination of both. I'm positive most, if not all of this is age appropriate behavior, but it is driving me nuts regardless, and I need some ideas on how to teach these children how to play, and how to survive the day without gorging on chocolate and cookies during nap time.
I have 3 DCks, all PT. Two girls that are smack on 24 months, and a boy, 2.5. All of my older kids (DCK and my own) are now in school full time, so for the first time since I opened, I don't have any older kids to act as a buffer for the young ones. The dynamic is not working.
The 2.5DCB is not really that big of an issue. He will happily play by himself and amuse himself with whatever toys he has. He does get really frustrated when anyone comes near him, and will quickly gather, hoard his toys and run away. He's not really that verbal, which I think makes it worse.
The two girls are really my biggest problem. #1 has a really short attention span. She wants to go to the basement (playroom), and after 5 minutes, she's whining to go upstairs. She wanders from toy to toy, and really only wants what someone else has. She doesn't actually sit and play with anything, aside from my FP farm, which keeps her attention for a few minutes at at time. If someone comes near her, she screams bloody murder. If she tries to take a toy and she doesn't get it, bloody murder.
#2. She is a source of constant frustration but she is so sweet. Full of smiles, hugs, cuddles. But almost no social skills or boundries. She is all over all of the kids, all the time. Constantly wanting to hug, kiss, cuddle, tickle. She hits constantly as well. She has absolutely no clue how to play with anything unless I am there, pretty much hand over hand, but she won't remember the next day, what I showed her. She'd much rather wander, dump something out, then move on. She follows the other kids around, and won't give them any space. I think she *might* be a little delayed, or babied to the extreme, or both. She was an extreamly late walker, a little after 18 months. She is just recently started to become more verbal. When I give her a simple direction (go to the door and pick up your shoes, come here to change your diaper), she just looks at me like she has no idea what I just asked her, even though it's a multiple times a day request.
I'm so sorry this turned in to a novel. I would really appreciate any tips, rules that work for you, ideas etc. I've seen mention of people that use hula hoops to allow kids space to play, or I've seen someone post that if you have a toy in your hand, you must be sitting down, playing with it? ANYTHING at this point. Thank you so much for any help you have. lovethis
I have 3 DCks, all PT. Two girls that are smack on 24 months, and a boy, 2.5. All of my older kids (DCK and my own) are now in school full time, so for the first time since I opened, I don't have any older kids to act as a buffer for the young ones. The dynamic is not working.
The 2.5DCB is not really that big of an issue. He will happily play by himself and amuse himself with whatever toys he has. He does get really frustrated when anyone comes near him, and will quickly gather, hoard his toys and run away. He's not really that verbal, which I think makes it worse.
The two girls are really my biggest problem. #1 has a really short attention span. She wants to go to the basement (playroom), and after 5 minutes, she's whining to go upstairs. She wanders from toy to toy, and really only wants what someone else has. She doesn't actually sit and play with anything, aside from my FP farm, which keeps her attention for a few minutes at at time. If someone comes near her, she screams bloody murder. If she tries to take a toy and she doesn't get it, bloody murder.
#2. She is a source of constant frustration but she is so sweet. Full of smiles, hugs, cuddles. But almost no social skills or boundries. She is all over all of the kids, all the time. Constantly wanting to hug, kiss, cuddle, tickle. She hits constantly as well. She has absolutely no clue how to play with anything unless I am there, pretty much hand over hand, but she won't remember the next day, what I showed her. She'd much rather wander, dump something out, then move on. She follows the other kids around, and won't give them any space. I think she *might* be a little delayed, or babied to the extreme, or both. She was an extreamly late walker, a little after 18 months. She is just recently started to become more verbal. When I give her a simple direction (go to the door and pick up your shoes, come here to change your diaper), she just looks at me like she has no idea what I just asked her, even though it's a multiple times a day request.
I'm so sorry this turned in to a novel. I would really appreciate any tips, rules that work for you, ideas etc. I've seen mention of people that use hula hoops to allow kids space to play, or I've seen someone post that if you have a toy in your hand, you must be sitting down, playing with it? ANYTHING at this point. Thank you so much for any help you have. lovethis
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