Reply to When does it get easier?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]It’s hard to be in constant motion all week and on the weekend. Even the most crazy, loud, busy toddlers/preschoolers can benefit from learning to have quieter down time for solo or pair play. Brains and bodies need breaks from loads of activities, constant motion and noise, and being independent is just as vital as being a team player engaging with others.

Your attitudes, instructions, and follow through as parents will facilitate this. Introduce a quiet time each morning and afternoon when the kids need to do self play. It could be coloring or doing an art project quietly at the table or doing a puzzle or reading in their respective rooms for 20 minutes. Make you and your DH “unavailable” during these two daily weekend sessions — you could be reading the paper on the couch while they play cars or legos on the floor, but if they ask you to join in for that period of time you tell them you’re busy and they can play by themselves for a short time. Reiterate until it becomes rote and a habit.

Most kids at 2 and 4 are exploring their worlds in busy, active, curious ways. It’s great you find your kids to be extroverted, but I caution you from falling into the category of parent who lets their kids run rampant, interrupt, and act crazy even at times when they should be quieter and more calmed down chalking it up to how cute and precocious it is to have such advanced, hyper-intelligent kids who simply must march to the beat of their own unique drum — it is easily confused with hyperactivity, lack of limits/self control, shorter attention spans, the constant need to be entertained by others, and total indulgence that won’t do them or you any favors.

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OP here. We are definitely working on facilitating quiet time, and have been for some months. The younger is a little better than the older one - we definitely set the expectation of having someone's attention for a very long time as he was the first grandkid on both sides and never wanted for a playmate. It's better some days than others, but we're constantly battling "WATCH ME WATCH ME LOOK AT THIS" even during these time periods, even if we, say, are working on a chore like dishes or trash. We ignore and it really doesn't deter them. :([/quote]

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