Keep off the IPad!

You could maybe ask her to help you prepare dinner. Make scones or biscuits I always had my son and daughter in the kitchen. My little granddaughters make pizzas and dips they are only four and very capable. Even helping putting washing away little tasks will help for when they leave home for college etc.

Could you join in with what she is doing on the iPad?

I would prefer to do other things but it is what they like to do. Maybe she could find a recipe or craft to do or a game you could both play.

Gone are the days where it would be a board game or reading a book or watching TV together.

Teach her some simple card games. Before Covid, when we were grandson watching, after school, he was always happy to sit at the kitchen table and play cards - rummy or newmarket, or if not cards, bananagrams or Uno.

My grandchildren happy to tell me about the things they are doing online. It's not all bad.

Definitely card games or board games. They will have a novelty value! My GCs love them, especially when we join in - and make fools of ourselves because we haven't a clue what we're meant to be doing! They love to teach us - and then beat us! They are strictly time-rationed when it comes to their iPads etc.

Check she’s just not tired after school. Mine always wanted to watch TV and have a biscuit or something to wind down.
I agree cards and board games are good but depending on how old she is it might just be too much after a full school day.
How about painting or making something.

Sorry just realised you said she was 9. May well just be wanted to check up on friends etc.

Magic tricks! You can find all sorts of help videos on YouTube (so the iPad becomes a tool to do something else) - card tricks are a good place to start.

Look up 5 minute family crafts on YouTube. You’ll both love it.

Thank you for all these ideas, I have found some card games, happy families and Old maid to try this week and also my old Jacks game, so will see how they go !

Sorry to be a wet blanket, but I suspect at 9 the I pad will be more alluring than Happy Families or Old Maid. She might play card games for a little while, but will soon want the I pad.
My GC played those games when much younger.

You are never too old for the traditional card games! If there's cooking or baking to be done then get your GC involved. I also like the suggestion of 5 minute crafts or when the weather is fine, be out in the garden. Treasure your time with her and make memories.

Adults are just as bad as children, as soon as they get in the house they are online, either on social media or games. There you are trying to get the children to play “your” games or communicating with you rather than their friends. Cooking is probably one of the ways to get them to do something different, after school probably best to just let them chill.

I’m just as bad, so are many Gransnetters, although when I have visitors I do put it down and chat

I’m thinking of giving my iPad a long service award.......

Also at 9 a lot of children want to “chill” after school. If her parents say it’s ok then let her maybe have half I pad time and half activity with you?

Fortunately I’m a bit of a hoarder, and still have a pile of the board games my DC used to play. As Squiffy says, they do have novelty value for the DGC, and they actually ask for them when they come here. The favourite by far, with DGS from 4 to 8, is an old Family Fortunes game, with a loud “uh-urgh” buzzer that still works. . They also like a quiz or treasure hunt of any description. Or a football game the length of the front room with Nanna in goal....

I’m working on them “chilling”. It doesn’t seem to be a concept they’ve come across....

Our granddaughter has tokens, an hour playing in the garden will give her the choice of TV or IPad time tokens.
Helping in the house being tidy etc will earn her tokens.
There is a red card for bad behaviour and 2 red cards in a day means the loss of a token.

I understand that you want to have your time with her, but from her point of view, she’s spent all day doing what adults want.
You’ve got your ideas about what you want her to do.
When her parents pick her up they’ll want her to do things, get ready for bed etc.

When does she get time to do what she wants to do, I wonder.