How can I entertain my grandchild?
DEAR BEL MY SEVEN -YEAR - OLD granddaughter has just had a major operation to insert rods in her back for her scoliosis.
This must be followed by six to eight weeks of recuperation at home during which time physical activities will be restricted by doctor’s orders.
I would be very grateful for any ideas on how to keep her occupied during t hi s period of enforced rest and restricted activity to limit her boredom and loneliness.
She’s an only child. Her friends are sporty and active and love to run about like most children.
I cannot think further than TV and board games. Please help.
TERENCE
WHAT a lovely and unusual letter — though I wish I knew whether the little girl’s grandmother will be involved, too. no matter — many people have to look after grandchildren during the summer holidays and sometimes it’s hard to come up with ideas.
Your letter springs from the heart of an all-important subject: family life.
I found myself remembering the time before the era of all-day children’s TV, iPads, video streaming etc.
one of my favourite snaps shows my daughter, aged six, drawing our stone sundial, oblivious to everything else.
I got her brother (six years older) to do the same thing — and I joined them. This is an important point: there’s no better way to keep a child occupied than to occupy yourself with them, some of the time.
Calling our activities, ‘ Saturday Art Club,’ turned it into a shared activity they loved. Much better than walking away and then wondering why they give up after five minutes. Why not suggest she chooses one of her friends to join her for ‘Art Club’ once a week? There are so many craft activities she will enjoy. (Put ‘crafts for kids’ into an online search engine and you’ll find lots of ideas —and you can send away for materials. John Lewis online has a good children’s craft and design section.)
It’s an idea to have a new project ready every couple of days — for structuring time is essential.
‘Making Presents’ will excite her if she thinks she can create all her own birthday and Christmas gifts — and cards, too.
Make sure she has a special place (a big box or little cupboard in your house) to store all these creations. Bead necklaces and earrings are easy to make ( see Beads direct). Get yourself jewellery pliers to help her.
You are in the perfect position to get her interested in the family tree.
She can make little drawings of family members (go as far back as you can) on circles of paper (draw round an egg cup) and can have fun deciding what clothes they’d be wearing.
Then these ‘fruits’ can be stuck in to the big tree she paints (find a picture to help her get the shape right), filling in names on the branches. She could collage leaves, or just paint them. Blossom, too. Get a clip frame for this magnificent family tree to make it precious.
It goes without saying that books are essential. The beginning and end of all things!
It’s a good idea to get her to write ‘reviews’ of the books she has read in a special notebook, and for these she could be paid pocket money. She can also make her own book — writing a story and drawing pictures.
TELEVISION and board games have their place. Games and jigsaws can be huge fun and the other night my husband and I enjoyed a DVD of The Secret Garden with no child in sight! Think back to when you were her age; remember what you loved to do.
Was it making models? retrieve your own inner child and then you’ll be able to help her through this difficult time by making it creative and fun.
oh, and i f she gets grumpy, be patient. She’s likely to become sad and frustrated and ask, ‘Why aren’t I like everybody else?’ To which you reply, ‘ You are, love, but just that extra bit special.’