Older kids and having company over

DS is 6. I have two other LOs but they are only 17 months - so he doesn't play with them a lot yet. Whenever we have company that doesn't have other kids for DS to play with - he just wants to watch TV or play videogames the whole time. I try to find toys or even this morning he had a new lego, but he just wants to veg out. I mean, then we get to chat with the grownups who are over, but I feel like we're ignoring him and/or I just don't like the tv/games for an hour. What do others do? Or just let this go since its not that a big a deal and doesn't happen a lot that we even have company- haha.

Older kids and having company over

this is me!!! wel... almost DS is 5... he's our only child AND the only child on both sides of the family (so...no cousins, either). so evenings, weekends- when he's not in school are horrible. he wants us to play with him- if we don't, he just wants to go on his iPad :-/ he has a TON of toys... but won't play with them by himself- and obviously, we can't always be playing with him. family parties are bad, too- because its not like he has cousins to run off and play with. he jus sits around in the same room as the adults :-/ honestly- i let it go sometimes.... its not a fun situation he's in, and i know i would be bored, too. i would say as long as he plays nicely with other kids when they ARE around, its not a huge deal for him to veg out once in awhile so you can talk to other adults... Then again, i'm kind of lazy when it comes to this kind of stuff and tend to take the easy way out LOL

Re: Older kids and having company over

I would let it go. if you say its not that common; him doing that once in a while IMO is not a big deal.

but I am also ok with my kids spending time watching TV and being on the ipad. they are in daycare 5 days a week from 8-4 (some days till 6) where they are playing all day long so them vegging out at home to me is no big deal

Re: Older kids and having company over

Whenever we have adult company, I rent DD a movie to keep her out of our hair so we can have adult conversation.
I don't see it as an issue at all.

Re: Older kids and having company over

What is your 6 year old doing when you don't have company? Why can't he play with the same things when company is over than he does when company is not over? I assume you aren't playing with him all the time and he does entertain himself, so I don't see it as being different just because you have others over.

Older kids and having company over

We only have one and she's 7
We keep her around but really she's not limited to anything when other adults are around. I mean you come to visit you KNOW I have a kid. She can watch TV but she loves to build. Lately it's been all about the littlebits gear since it is automated. She will build a machine of sometime even if its nothing and show it off. She'll color or make something and show it off. If she gets bored she'll sit in the room with us and do her Ipad reading work. She likes being part of the action. I see no reason to send her away. However sometimes she gets bored of us and walks away. I think that's good too.

Message edited 3/14/2016 10:07:32 AM.