How much time should i be spending entertaining my six month old boy?

Question

I know there are some that will say i should be spending every minute of every day entertaining him but i just can't do that as i have to do housework and cooking for my husband as well as being a mum.

How long do you think is the right amount of time to be playing with him. I think i spend enough time with him, he is contented and happy, but i feel bad even if i have to nip to the toilet because he cries when i leave the room. Does anyone else feel like this or do you let your babies have time on their own?

Answer 1

You dont have to entertain him, but he needs to be with you. He can entertain himself whereever you are, even if its sitting on the bathroom floor while you're on the toilet.

Obviously he can handle sitting alone while you run pee, or run to the other room to do something, and he'll get better and better at it as time goes on. But at this age its normal for them to want to and need to be in the room with you.

They learn by watching you, and are contented by your presence while theyre learning to be confident in their own bodies and surroundings.

Its just part of being mom.

My son would sit on the kitchen floor at that age with some toys while I cooked. And hold the vacuum cord while I swept, played with books while I went potty... he does more on his own now that he's older. But since I never made him stay away he has no desire to fight for my attention all the time. He's quite adventurous because of it. Real confident.

Answer 2

If he's crying when you run to the bathroom for a minute, he probably sees you enough (if you didn't spend much time with him, then another few minutes probably wouldn't bother him). Spend some time on the floor playing with him, encouraging his sitting/standing/crawling (maybe an hour or more a day). You can also spend time with him by putting him in his high chair in the kitchen while you cook dinner. That way you can sing and talk with him at the same time. Also, if you have a pack and play, or playpen, he can play in that and still be near you. You can also encourage him to play by himself by putting him within view, but far enough away that his toys provide more entertainment than you. Whatever time you spend with him will probably entertain him - it doesn't necessarily need to be "playtime." Even shopping is an adventure for him, and you're getting your errands done!

Answer 3

There are lots of good answers here and I agree that you're spending a good amount of time with your son. It's normal to feel what you're feeling, especially with your first child.

As far as him crying when you leave the room, the reason for this is that his brain doesn't understand the process. All he knows is that you disappear, he doesn't know there's another room to go to. Just like when babies drop things off their high chair. There brain is learning that just because something disappears out of their sight doesn't mean that it's gone forever. Try telling him bye-bye when you leave the room and then popping back in with a big smile and saying hello. Also talking to him from the other room will help.

Try not to worry so much and just do what feels right to you. Hold your son as often as practical, it doesn't spoil them, it makes them more content and helps them to become more independent. If he knows he can rely on the safety and security of you then he will be more apt to venture away and explore his little world. Babies who aren't held enough are clingy, not the other way around. Good luck!

Answer 4

My daughter is a week shy of 6 months old and I spend about an hour inbetween naptimes playing with her. I don't always sit down and play with her, I move her around the house with me. For example - if I need to hang the washing or do the dishes, I put her in her bumbo and take her to the kitchen with me and talk to her as I do my chores. This way she is entertained and is involved in my day and not sitting alone in a room. Saying that, I do sometimes leave her to play with her toys on her own in a room whilst I am doing odds and ends in the house, this way she gets used to being on her own. Sometimes when I leave the room she cries but I find that playing "peekaboo" with her helps the situation. I do it a few times from the doorway and this stops her crying. By then she would of found a toy infront of her that she wants to play with and gets on with that. She does have days though when she wants to be on her own and other days when all she wants is me with her...

Every baby is different and if your baby is happy playing by himself then let him be. As long as you are talking and interacting with him he is learning all he needs to. Don't feel bad when you leave the room and he cries - that is natural and a phase that he is going through. The phase will pass - it is nothing you are doing. This is why I suggest "peekaboo" as it shows them that you will come back...

Answer 5

I think the fact that you are even asking this question proves you are a considerate mother who puts her child first. I let my children entertain themselves or join in with what I am doing, obviously you can't do this yet but leaving him to his own devices will encourage his independence from an early age, he'll let you know when he wants you. Enjoy your baby's first Christmas, all the best.

Answer 6

While it is indeed important to entertain and be with your child it is also important to allow them to be alone. Being constantly with you is likely to create a clingy child who is unable to cope without you, as you say he cries whenever you leave them room, this is not a good sign and he needs to learn how to be on his own and entertain himself, it may seem fine at 6 months and it feels sweet at the time that they want to be with you but imagine what it will be like as he gets older, maybe 1 year old when he's so much bigger or when he's 3 and wont settle in nursery school because he hasn't learnt to be apart from you.

While i always advocate the "housework can wait" policy you do need some time to do things for yourself, if in your case it is housework, cooking, even just 1/2 hour in front of the tv, if your child will not be away from you for even a minute you will lose out on the time you need for yourself and lose sense of who you are apart from his mummy.

I heard that children this age have an attention span of 5 minutes and will only remain interested in one particular game for this amount of time. Time on a playmat with lots of colourful noisy toys, or in a playpen/cot, one of those litel jungle gym style mats with toy bars above the babies head to kick at etc will all entertain him while you are busy.

You can over stimulate children at this age which just makes them grumpy. Spend as much time with him as you can spare but remember that you and your husband are important too.

Answer 7

i do my "kids time" in intervals throughout the day, i just spend about 30 mins with them, do an hour of housework, spend an hour with them, do another hour housework and so on, but from about 5-7pm is totally kiddie time!!

I have a 10 month old son and a very demanding 3 year old daughter, so i do have to spend a lot of my day with them, playing as they dont really play together

Answer 8

Go with your own instinct--what YOU feel is the right of amount of time to play with your baby.I am a mom of 4--the first 3 in 4 years' time--so believe me--they can learn to entertain themselves when mom is busy.
Best wishes...

Answer 9

There are good answers here .It's all relative ,here's one piece of advice ,As you do your house work and go out of the room ,say "goodbye" and when you return say "hello".He will get used to the fact that you will be back quicker and be less insecure.

Answer 10

I think the sensible answer is devote as much time as you practically can to him. You can't do more than that. Your husband should also be devoting as much time as he can to his son.