Hello! My daughter is nine years old. She has just broken her right wrist, and she is right handed. She can not go swimming, run around, ride bikes/scooters and even art type things are rough. All she has done for the past three days is watch TV! I can not let her watch TV for the whole month her cast is on. Help me think of some creative things she can do before she is bored out of her mind or becomes permanently attached to the couch!! We are also concerned since she is already overweight and do not want her to gain more weight during this period of time. Help!!
i agree with the other posters, and would like to add sending her to the library. when I broke my arm I did a lot of reading.
Agreed with Bobbi K!
She can go to a park and play, if she wants to swim in a shallow pool, wrap her wrist with a plastic bag and tuck it in at the top. Then put another over it and tape it around her arm. This way water should not get to the cast. Just have her not keep her arm in the water constantly. As for the TV, limit her time. If she has just had the cast on it is going to cause some discomfort to her but it shouldn't be long before she can use that hand for doing recreational things. Get her some bristol board, some paper. Have her do up a collage. Pictures' of your family members' that she can glue to the bristol board, even some of her favorite TV stars', music stars etc.
While watching TV don't let her run to the fridge all the time because she's bored. If so make sure there are only healthy snacks for her. Whole wheat biscuits, veggies with low fat dip, items like these. Who knows once she starts eating them she just may come to like them. Uncooked veggies are very nutritional. Limit any junk food. Fruits, yogurt. Any drinks' apple juice, real fruit, not fruit punch which so many ppl. think is real fruit and its not.
Wait for about a 1-2wks. for her wrist to feel comfortable, but do keep her on some sort of schedule. The more bored and watching TV, causes' one to run to the fridge. I don't mean her, anyone is like this when they can't do anything. Good luck and I hope your daughter is feeling much better soon.
Why can't she run around or ride her bike/scooter? Lots of kids do this with one hand. It will take practice for her to do it. Back when I was young, broken arms were much more common than they are today and kids weren't slowed down much with a broken arm. We didn't have TV to watch. Maybe that's why.
You can begin or continue with a time limit on the amount of time she can watch TV. With the TV turned off she will find things to do. She can read. Perhaps help her organize a book club with her friends. Perhaps allow more TV time if she watches an educational program on travel, animals. cooking, etc. She talks with you about what she learned. My 9yo granddaughter talks to me about what she's learned on the animal channel which she watches often.
She can help you with the kids you take care of at home. She can entertain the little ones by playing blocks, little pet shop animals, dolls, whatever she or they're playing with. My granddaughter has a lot of imagination and likes to play with little kids. She can read to them.
She can help you by putting dishes in dishwasher, loading washing machine, putting clothes into dryer, dusting, vacuuming.
If you have a computer, she can play computer games that will increase her mental agility and knowledge. She can research topics that interest her and make a scrapbook. She could make collage pictures by cutting out pictures from magazines using a cutter that only requires sliding it along the page. I have one I bought in the scrap book department at Target.
Using just one hand feels awkward but using it becomes easier. I'd encourage her to think creatively about things she'd like to do but thinks she can't do with one hand.
Is there a reason they didn't put a waterproof cast on her? Our daughter broke her wrist in the summer too and the waterproof cast was awesome!
What about going walking/hiking with her? Anything. The zoo, museums, the arboretum. What about taking her to one of those art/pottery shops. Tying up your dominant hand and both of you doing a cup "lefty". Make fun of yourselves. Laugh at how bad you paint. Then you'll have the cup forever. How about giving her/loaning her a camera to use. Encourage her to take pictures...make it fun. Try to have her take unique angles and make you guess what it's a picture of. Scrapbooking only takes a glue stick...or you can get her those albums that pictures just slide into.
Best wishes!
Brookfield Zoo, Lincoln Park Zoo, Field Museum, Museum of Science and Industry, a day downtown Chicago, Cantigny Park in Wheaton, go to the movies, go for dog walks (if you have one or just regular walks if you don't), find a few good books to read, or comic books, or pre-teen magazines. Our neighbor broke her arm last year and these are the things they did to entertain themselves while in the cast.
Forgot to add Morton Arboretum in Lisle. Beautiful place with lots of walking paths and a children's garden with a few things she could probably do.
She CAN run around, walk around, and exercise.
Make a schedule FOR her... and then turn off the tv, and do it. Or do it with her. Jointly.
Make a daily "schedule" of activities... so she is not just glued to the couch watching TV mindlessly. Or have her watch ONLY certain shows... no teen shows since those are so not good influences...and in my opinion, just icky.
Have her watch educational shows.
Or I am sure, she may even be able to still use a keyboard on a computer... my daughter's friend could, even with her broken arm.
And then she can go to educational websites and practice Math, reading, etc. I would make her do that, daily.
My friend's daughter, was in a cast for 6 weeks, for a broken forearm...broken in TWO places. And, she did most things fine and was still mobile. Her cast was from her hand up past her elbow.... and in a L-shape cast. And she still did crafts and any other activity... even if it was with less mobility... then her friends would help her. But she engaged in as much "normal" activity as possible. She wanted to.
Also, have her practice writing with her left hand.. it exercises the brain..and agility. Have her just draw with her other hand.
She can also do crafts... you can help of course, but she can still use her fingers... gluing and what not.
Tell her, to try and do other things... think outside the box. Challenge herself. A cast is usually on for 6 weeks. That is a long time to do nothing.
If she gets bored... then that's her choice. She CAN do other things and use her legs... and arms... just not her wrist.
And don't let her eat mindlessly... nor junk food. Nor junk beverages. have her go by her "hunger cues"... not eating due to boredom.
all the best,
Susan
When my 12yr old daughter was in 2nd grade she broke both wrists. She had one cast up to her forearm for the first couple of weeks. She can still go out and walk, go to the park ( slides, swings), even swim if she gets a waterproof cast.
She should be able to read, play on the computer, and write( just not very legible to begin with).
My daughter was back to school in a week, and was able to write with her hands. It takes time, but she did it.
At the next apt ask for a waterproof cast. We couldn't do one right away because of swelling. But about a week after it went on we switched to waterproof for her leg. She was able still take swimming lessons etc. Also when she had an itch under the cast I just put her in a hot/warm bath and let the water run through it. She said that helped. FYI our insurance wouldn't cover a waterproof cast because it's not medically necessary. It cost us $90 but in our situation it was worth the cost. Sorry she is hurt!!!
I'm so sorry to hear that she has a broken wrist; that must be awful for her, especially in the summer. Does she like to read or play board games? I too am right handed & can't do much of anything with my left hand but I know some people are better at that than others so, if she is able, maybe some puzzles. Maybe you or someone else in the house could do a crossword puzzle with her - you write down the answers for her. If you have access to a stationary bike, that will get her some exercise. She can even watch TV while doing it if she wants. We have a Wii. I don't use it as much as the rest of the family but if you have access to one, I have seen my daughter doing things like the stepping, jogging, hula hooping, etc. that don't require much, if any, use of the arms. It may not be the best physical activity but at least it's something. Depending on how well she reads, my daughter likes to read to me while I'm cleaning, if she's stuck in the house with me. Or have her help you cook to the extent she can. That may be hard with one hand but she could at least help get ingredients out of the pantry, let you know when something is boiling or read the recipe to you. Is there any yard maintenance she could help with?, watering flowers with a small watering can, etc. That will at least get her some outside time. I too have a child who has always been on the high end for weight so I understand your concern. Good Luck to you and I hope your daughter heals fast!!
what about a visit to a museum, the shed aquarium, planetarium. Summer programs at your local library? check to see if there is any local theater group that has matinee performances. I am not into the whole mani-pedi thing, but that might be a mom/daughter thing you could do. shopping and lunch out is always fun at any age!
