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tovlo4801
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| Posted: June 01 2005 at 9:53pm | IP Logged
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I need some ideas. My kids are struggling with boredom in the afternoons. I do data entry at home for 3-4 hours every day. They need to entertain themselves during that time. My oldest is a little better at keeping himself busy. He will dig around until he finds a book to read or go find something to take apart and rebuild. My little one (5 yo boy) is the one that's breaking my heart a little bit. He can't just pick up a book and read yet. He can do a little reading, but still needs a lot of assistance and I'm just not available to help every few minutes when I'm working. He's not old enough to just run down the street and play at a neighbors. He's exceptionally good at keeping himself busy while I work - legos, exploring the yard, playing with the cat, etc. But his cries of being bored have increased lately and I'd like to supply him with things that he can keep busy with independently. I'm looking for good toy ideas or project ideas that he can be fairly self-sufficient with. If they have any educational value that would be a huge plus. Also, we don't have very much extra income so cheap is important too. I am willing to spend some money to provide them with things, but I want to get the most value I can out of the shopping. Though my oldest is better at keeping himself busy, he could use some projects too.
Thanks for any suggestions you can provide.
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Marybeth
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| Posted: June 03 2005 at 6:41am | IP Logged
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Richelle,
Any possible way you could split up the time you work? Do a bit in the afternoon and then some in the evening? It seems to be a bit long for a little one to come up with things to occupy himself. I don't know if he is truly bored but maybe wanted to spend some time with you. I know when I was spending time working (for a brief bit) at home it was a disaster. In retrospect, I should have divided my time up better. Just my 2 cents from my own experience.
Here is a few things I have found to help my 4.5 ds keep himself entertained while I do some cleaning or make calls.
playdough
makers to use on the windows/storm doors from Crayola
listening to books on tape from the library
makes a fort-brings in a snack and toys
play in the sink with bubbles from dishwashing liquid with his animals and dinosaurs
cutting with scissors on newspapers, ads, construction paper, etc. I think the different papers help keep the interest!!! 
I have wanted for two years to rotate toys and in our new home have a closet in which I can store some toys. This has helped b/c if ds has a break from things it renews his interest when I bring them back out for play.
Again, this is just my 2 cents. 
Marybeth
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tovlo4801
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| Posted: June 04 2005 at 2:40am | IP Logged
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Marybeth,
Thank you for sharing your 2 cents. I so much appreciate someone who is willing to risk sharing insight that might be difficult to hear. I've thought about your comments that this might be too much time to ask a 5 yo to keep himself busy and I've come to the conclusion that your 2 cents is probably quite valuable!
I've been doing this job for 6 years now. In order to cover the bills I need to work and this job is such a good way to accomplish that goal. It's flexible and I am with the kids. The trouble is that it does just take time away from the family somewhere. I've tried doing my work in just about every imaginable time combination and I suppose like homeschooling as situations change that schedule will need to change from time to time. Doing my work in the afternoon has worked well for several years because my oldest tends to go out and play and my little one has always just played at my feet nearby. I was right there if he needed me. But you noticed a change that I had not recognized yet. His complaints do indicate that his needs probably aren't being met right now. I will need to look at my schedule and think about how to adjust so that I make sure my little one is getting some of that undivided attention from mom. It's unfortunate, but the truth is that if the work is going to get done there will have to be some sacrifices. But as mom, I have to try to make sure any sacrifices my children are asked to make are age-appropriate. A shorter time period definitely is appropriate.
Thanks for the suggestions of things to provide for him to do during that time he will need to keep busy. I'm going to try them the next time he's looking for help.
If anyone else has any suggestions, I'd love to add to the list. 
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Willa
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| Posted: June 05 2005 at 12:47pm | IP Logged
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Richelle,
I'm not sure if I can add anything to Marybeth's list of activities. I just wanted to point out that boredom is often a sign of a developmental surge where the child's mind has pulled ahead of his customary activities. I bet that pretty soon you'll see your 5yo make a leap ahead in some area -- maybe he will start reading fluently or something else similar. So your boredom problem may well be temporary : ).
One thing that occurs to me is that you could sit down with your ds and make a list of things he likes to do while you are working. Include suggestions that he might not have thought of that you glean from this board or from searching on the internet. Montessori has lots of activities, for instance. Montessori Online Album for preK Then either he could plan out his own schedule of activities, or use the list as a springboard to choose activities. You could put illustrations on it if he is not reading well yet. This has worked for me with a similar recurrent issue, "What is there to EAT around here?"
Another thing that has worked for me that perhaps you could modify for the situation is a "schoolbox". When my 5th child was a preschooler and I had several olders to teach, I had a box of various activities for him to do -- from dot to dot print-outs from online, to junk mail and "stamps", to puzzles and manipulatives. This was like a hands-on "list" because he could see the alternatives in concrete form and choose what he wanted to do. I'd save this box for schooltime only and for when he was having trouble finding constructive ways to occupy himself.
Someone once recommended nuts and bolts and similar things from a hardware store to keep little boys busy. That kind of thing isn't that expensive.
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Willa
hsing boys ages 11, 14, almost 18 (+ 4 homeschool grads ages 20 to 27)
Take Up and Read
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Willa
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| Posted: June 05 2005 at 12:55pm | IP Logged
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Also, perhaps you could make your older responsible for your littlie for part of the time? maybe 30-45 minutes? I pair up my olders with my littlies upon occasion... the olders learn responsibility and the youngers get the benefits of the olders' company. You could pay the older a little if necessary -- my mom paid me to babysit my 3yo brother when I was 12 and she was working for her RN degree. ... or if money's just too tight, recompense him in some other way.
I wish I could think of some inexpensive educational toys to buy but our budget's so limited too that we avoid buying anything we can live without (except books!!!). Someone on one of the forums recommended the Leapfrog electronic sets for early learning.
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AMDG
Willa
hsing boys ages 11, 14, almost 18 (+ 4 homeschool grads ages 20 to 27)
Take Up and Read
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tovlo4801
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| Posted: June 05 2005 at 9:46pm | IP Logged
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Willa,
These are exactly the kinds of things I'm looking for. I'm prepared to spend a little bit of money out of our school budget, but if I can provide him with fun and educational things to keep busy with for free - that's even better! I like the idea of having a list with a selection of inexpensive things that he can choose from when he get's bored. I've added your selections to my new list.
His brother is actually a pretty good helper and despite their age difference, they play together very well. This does work out to be a huge help. Thankfully my oldest has never expected to be paid! We used to give him an allowance, but we are about 6 months in arrears to him on that, so he probably knows better than to even think about getting paid to help around the house.
I'll have to be on the look-out for developmental jumps. That's an interesting angle that I had not considered. Hopefully between gathering things to offer him to do and jumping through any developmental leap this will resolve itself soon. I have spent a good deal of the weekend thinking about how I'm going to structure next year and I think I've come up with a good schedule that will reduce the amount of time he'll need to keep himself busy too.
Thanks so much for all the suggestions!
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Natalia
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| Posted: June 05 2005 at 10:56pm | IP Logged
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I have found some valuable ideas in this site before
Paula's Archives
Maybe you will too,
Natalia
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Marybeth
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| Posted: June 08 2005 at 12:10am | IP Logged
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I second the recommendation for a Leap Pad. My ds gets so much enjoyment out of his. My parents gave it to him for Christmas.
We also have been putting together puzzles (we go in spurts on this) and the Melissa and Doug ones are great! I found many on sale at TJ Maxx. 
Marybeth
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4Real Forums : Tea and Conversation
Topic: Help for "Mom, I'm bored!"
