Blanket time revisited and in action

Before Maisie was born, I had started doing "blanket time" with Calan, but basically abandoned it when I got a little too pregnant and Maisie was too young to institute it correctly. I am so glad we took a break. At the time Calan and I were pretty frustrated with each other, and doing blanket time was not working for either of us. This has completely changed. Calan is just that much older and I have more patience and both of us are on the same page (for the most part) now.

Blanket time is basically exactly what it sounds like. It is a specific amount of time that he spends playing on a blanket. The idea is that it sets up a limited area with out a physical parameter and helps develop the ability to stay put within a boundary.

The pack-and-play is great, but blanket time is different because there is no physical parameter that stops him from running off.

This is not an overnight event. Calan didn't just one day think, well I think I will stay on this blanket and just play. We are working step by step, minute by minute to get him to stay and happily play. Blanket time is not a time out. It is not a punishment. It should be just like independent play time and be a happy play time that they focus on just a few toys.

I have been doing blanket time, again, with Calan for about a month and we have worked our way up to 8 minutes that he sits on the blanket and plays with a few of his favorite toys. It is not perfect and I usually still have to tell him once or twice to stay on the blanket, but he does usually stay there for the whole time. Once we get to the point that he stays on the blanket for 8 minutes without me saying anything we will add a minute and work our way up to about 30 minutes.

Right now, I stay right by Calan reading blogs, books, or Bible study. I do something other than hoover over him. I am right there to correct him, but I am not engaging with him.

I start blanket time by telling him that we are going to do blanket time and that I want him to play on his blanket for 8 minutes. I lay out a blanket and set up a few toys on it as he sits down on the blanket. He loves sitting on blankets, so he usually jumps on before a single toy is on it for him. I then set a timer and say that blanket time has begun. I won't lie, he usually just looks at me with a blank stare, but somehow he does seem to understand because when I get up to sit on the couch, he stays on the blanket and usually grabs for a toy.

Here is how yesterday's blanket time went:

Blanket time has begun. He had to take his socks off first.

Just sitting here playing with his Mrs. Noah figurine and
wiggling his toes.

Hmmm ... realized I was taking photos with my cell phone.
He crawls toward me off the blanket at about 5 minutes.

I put him back on and tell him that he has 3 minutes left of
blanket time and that my phone is a no touch.

Literally 2 seconds later, he stopped crying and went right
back playing with his toys.

Playing away.

Time flies when you are having fun.

Timer goes off. I tell him blanket time is over with.

After cheers and claps from me, he gets up and grabs
his lamb.

Calan and lamb are out of there.
He actually just came over and sat next to me and we
then read a book.

His time on the blanket is not traumatic or cruel. It is a tool that will come in handy for me as his parent when I need him to first obey me and secondly to stay in one spot when I ask him to. He doesn't understand that but I do.