No interest in anything...frustrated!!

[bulldog]

Have posted about this one particular child before but things are not improving!
He has no interest in anything apart from his ipad/tv/playstation. Hes just 3.

Whatever I put out, or wherever I take him hes not interested, in fact at playgroup he will sit at a table of adults and not play with other children.
He has said quite a number of things that have completely taken me back with their adult nature which I have reported to mum and also logged.

I only have him once a week with one other child (who he plays with for a short time) but I find the day v long, trying to entertain him!
Today I have had lego blocks out with a spaceship and pirateship, he has spent 2 mins playing with it then asking me when I will put the Tv on for him.

If I dont put tv on he will not be drawn into reading or drawing but will walk up and down or round in circles!!
If I put TV on hes happy as larry, animated and obv involved in what hes watching (as long as its Disney! Ive tried "informative" programmes but no interest)

He spends rest of week with grandparents. Ive suggested more than once that he should go to a nursery/playgroup for a day to be amongst his peers and how it would help prior to going to nursery school in Jan.

I feel like just giving in and putting on the TV!

[Mouse]

Have you tried getting some character toys for the programmes he watches?

Or making some resources based in the TV shows? I have a lo who is mad about Batman. I printed out some pictures, cut them out & laminated them and just gave them t him to do what he wanted with. To start with he just looked through them, telling me who they were, but then he started to act out little stories with them. We ended up using them for matching games, size sorting, colour recognition etc.

Have you tried a visual time line? Show pictures of the things you will be doing before he can watch a limited amount of TV?

It's going to be tough if you only have him one day a week, but I think I would just try to stick it out & say no TV until you've played, or done something else. There's only so much you can do though if you're not getting support from his parents, so don't feel bad if you have to resort to putting the TV on.

[bulldog]

Well 15 min before he was due to go I turned on the TV....immediate zoning out!

Love the idea of laminated cards Mouse but he really doesnt have a "favourite" character, he will literally watch anything!

This is a child that watches 15+ films along with his 7yr old sibling and has told me what sanitary products are for after seeing an ad on TV.

Its hard to put anything in his learning journey or have any obs on him, altho I did do one when we passed a cemetary and he said "thats where dead people are" :eek:

[smurfette]

I Have one who is a little the same .. His mum says he only watches about one cartoon a night but if the tv is on he will curl up on the couch and watch it., doesn't matter if it's daybreak or Thomas! Even if tv is on he is often sitting on couch. He has little playmobil people he brings with him and will sit and play with them for a bit and if I put out play doh or painting he will sit and do it for a good while but he Is not interested in free play and I have a LOT of toys! He is just three as well. I find him hard work because he needs constant structure and the others I have are all under two and perfectly happy to potter when it is free play time.! He is also one day a week and a half day, have yet to see how he is in groups cos I couldn't find one that day but now I have so gonna try it next week and pass the time!

[Simona]

Bulldog...have you thought about doing a 'tracking' observation on this child?

As he only comes once a week it may be the best way to record his behaviour, play, communication or lack of and what his interests are.
Not sure how long he has been with you but I would do that for one month and then discuss with the parents in a review
It may also be useful for the parents to tell you what type of routine he has at his grandparents

[Tulip]

I like mouse's idea's, tv character toys and also in books, what about sticker books with tv characters
Have you tried toddler groups etc with him?
He sounds like he just doesn't know how to play and the tv has been his babysitter

[bulldog]

Tulip I do take him to playgroup, he hangs around the grown ups and asks to go home fairly frequently.

I know his grandparents and have seen what they do with him, as I have also seen him at home if I have called in unexpectedly.
The main issue is his precocious nature.
The fact he has watched horror films, the fact that he knows much more than I think is acceptable/necessary for a child of 3 all means he is not that "into" toys or programmes aimed at him.

He will sit and watch anything literally but cant tell you anything in relation to what hes watching.