Qns is ONLY for Parents with children 1 year apart.

[mayyamaysha]

Hi

My qns is for those who has children a year apart. I wish to seek advise from those who have experienced this themselves.

My kids are 3 and 1.5 yr old. My 3yr old (child 1) is an introvert, focused and loves doing things on her own. My 1.5 yr old (child 2).... well... is a typical 1.5 yr old who loves to do whatever the older sibling is doing. This, naturally, irks my older child very much. Especially when the younger one interferes or imposes on the older one when she's in her 'work' mood.

The past few months since my older child has started preschool, I've been trying to do activities with child 1 but child 2 always gets in the way. I've tried VARIOUS distractions for child 2 - other toys, other crayon and paper (when we are doing art activities), milk, etc. But child 2 always seems to be more interested in the 'work' that I'm doing with child 1. I'm starting to think that I really can't do anything with my older child, not when my younger child is at the 'grab this - tear that - eat this - crumple that' age. My older child gets really really frustrated most of the time and it saddens me to see her look at me for help and I don't know what to do already. Can't possibly lock the younger one in the room. We stay in a studio apartment so space is another issue. And no playpen either.

The both of them naps at the same time so engaging child 1 while child 2 sleeps is not possible.

So parents with children a year apart, HOW did you manage the both of them when you engage them with activities? Maybe you have tips I'm not aware of.

Thanks in advance~

 

[jadek]

I think you encounter the problem mainly because your younger chiild is still too young. For me, my two girls are 7 and 5.5 years old. So I usually involved both in activities like reading, writing.

Try to give each child his/her own book or activity sheet so that he/she doesn't feel left out. E.g. if you're doing art & craft, make sure each child has his/her own set of materials. They need not be the same, can be different level of difficulty depending on their age, but of similar nature. You can also let each child have his/her set of stationery and write their names on their books so that they feel they're involved.

Don't worry, things will get better as they get older.

 

[mayyamaysha]

I totally agree with u that it'll get better as the younger one grows older.

I've tried but it's not productive for my 3 yr old cos I have to constantly distract the younger one with other toys. I've also put aside her own set of materials but no matter what, being a typical younger sibling, she finds whatever the older one posseses to be more appealing. Even tho it's the SAME thing. Heh.

Did you manage to do activities with your girls when the younger one was 1.5yr old, jadek?

 

[jadek]

LOL....to speak the truth, I can't really recall! Memory has been real bad after giving birth to 3 kids. Sigh... I think I only bought coloring books for them, in my bits of memory. I did a bit of flashcards for a while, with the two kids sitting down. Only started "doing work" with them when the younger one enter Nursery (i.e. the other one in K1).