AP MOMS!! How Long Is Ok to Let My 8 Month Old Play Independently While I Work?

Attachment Parenting does not mean you have to give them direct attention and interaction every second of their waking day.
You're doing just fine the way you are right now.
You are teaching her to self entertain which is a very important skill. You are there in case she needs you, but you are allowing her the opportunity to learn about the world on her own.
Spending every waking second entertaining her actually could backfire as she gets older.
Dr. Sears has a wonderful book about Attachment Parenting that I highly recommend. It will give you a great idea of what Attachment Parenting really is and what it is not.

I am all for being fully present with your children. I think children need to be held, cuddled, spoken to, played with, and given lots of attention frequently throughout the day. Cosleeping, breastfeeding on demand (even toddlers), and babywearing are all great things in my opinion. I think that we should tend to all of our baby's needs in a timely manner, even if they are "only lonely". I would never allow my children to cry it out and consciously try to ensure they know that their needs are important to me.

That being said, I also think that it is great for children to spend time playing without adult interaction. It sounds like she is enjoying her time exploring her toys on her own. She can learn so much playing by herself. It isn't like she is miserable and being ignored. She knows that you are there if she needs you. You have already proven this to her. It is okay for you both to do your own things. Not allowing her this will be setting her up with false expectations which isn't fair. Being fully present every single moment isn't realistic. There is no way you could or should even try. It is okay that you have things to do. It is a fact of life. It is also okay to do things you enjoy. Children need to know that other people have needs and interests. They cannot always be the center of attention. Boundaries are important for all people. Teaching her that in a loving way is important. Your job as a parent is to prepare her the best you can to be an independent, successful adult. This happens very slowly throughout the years. She started out completely dependant on you for everything but is slowly learning that she is able to branch out a bit. It is a good thing for both of you.

Your "job" is to provide a safe, loving and stimulating environment for your baby.
You will bond during feeding, changing, bathing and snuggling.
The rest of the time your baby should be crawling, playing and exploring on her own.
You're a mom not an entertainer or a playmate.

Attachment Parenting means you strive to meet her needs, even when they are not convenient for you. Are you meeting her needs? She doesn't seem like she needs you if she is happily playing.

Part of the reason I sometimes struggled with "meet their needs" is that at this age it becomes trickier to distinguish between "needs" and "wants." As a newborn, if my son needed something, he cried. My boys are now 4 and 7, so they will sometimes cry if they don't get what they "want" and not just because they "need" something.

You are not neglecting her by letting her play by herself. She is happy, she is learning, she is discovering more and more about her world, she is learning to play without Mommy, and that is a good thing. You would only be neglecting her if you were ignoring her needs.

And don't feel bad if you do occasionally ignore a need. Sometimes you have to use the bathroom and then take care of her. And that's ok. Just make sure you take care of that need as soon as you can :-)

ETA - Attachment Parenting does not mean that you have "strive to make EVERY SINGLE MOMENT with her an opportunity for attachment." That is so NOT what Attachment Parenting is. It really means striving to meet the needs of your child. You are about to hit an age where you will have to distinguish between "needs" and "wants," which means asking yourself, "What does my child really NEED from me right now?" Sometimes you have to remind yourself that your child does not need to stay and the park and play, even if she wants to, because you know she really needs to take a nap. It's not about doing what they think they need, it's about doing what you know (or are pretty sure, since we're only human) they need.

Sorry, personal pet peeve. I hate when people think Attachment Parenting means doing whatever the child wants. If we did that, we'd all be raising spoiled brats!

Oh, and I didn't mean that you think that, just that I often hear from other moms who think that.

She sounds happy and content so let her be. I particularly love kids that can entertain themselves. What a great skill to have!!

Keep doing what you're doing. If you pay attention to her every second of every day, in 2 years you'll be on here asking why you have a monster of a child. Sorry to be blunt...but kids need to do some things on their own.

The baby is in your presence, you are not neglecting her in the least, and she can play happily on her own for a bit. I'd say you're good to go.

By the time she's crawling/walking, you're going to have to get her a sitter or put her in daycare.
You can't work and watch your kid(s) at the same time unless you're running your own daycare.
Working from home is the same as working at the office without the commute and dress code.
If you have any conference calls, it's REALLY bad form to have your child or pets or anything making noise in the background - if you're the one talking you can't mute all the time.
If your schedule is flexible, you might be able to work while she's sleeping at night, but you can get pretty tired doing that.

Let her amuse herself as long as she will.

You're fine. When my son was born, I was still in high school (I went to online high school). I had to do exactly what you describe just to get my school work done. And after I graduated high school I still did random things on the internet while he played by himself (Just for an hour or two). He's almost 3. We have a "strong, secure attachment with each other", and you know what? He's GREAT at playing by himself. You know what that means? I can get stuff done! Lol

As long as it is not protracted (don't be on for hours and hours), a little independent play in a safe place is fine. When you say "working" do you mean "being paid to do this" or "checking personal email?"

I did not WAH when DD was 8 months old, but when she was a toddler, I did. At that time, I did freelance writing work and was often up in the wee hours because I could not both chase down specs and my little girl.

No! You are discovering one of the benefits of many techniques that are labeled "attachment parenting"... a secure and confident baby who knows that you have not abandoned her just because you put her down! I do not worry about the specific label for how I choose to parent, but I did breastfeed and co-sleep. Both of my kiddos have always been very independent. I believe that is partly due to their natural personalities and partly due to having their needs promptly met as babies, around the clock.
Don't agonize over following a certain playbook. I sounds like you are doing great :)

You're doing fine. Keeping her close to you while she's happy is just as important as full on cuddle time. It's showing her that you are there for her IF she needs you. You are close by and she is safe. She can see you and reach you if she needs you. Let her play as long as she's happy. When she gets fussy, time for a break for you both. Do what you work you need to, but don't forget to get those baby kisses and cuddles in while you can.

"Secure attachment" does not have to mean she has to be literally attached to you.

I have a 10 month old and he can play by himself, but has his limit and lets me know. We've been at it so long that he has a pretty cement routine, when he's had his fill, it runs right close to food/nap times.

Attachment Parenting does not mean that you need to entertain her all day for every moment she is awake. It is perfectly okay for her to entertain herself sometimes and an important life skill. I worked at home one day per week when my son was that age and he would play in his exersaucer or with toys on the floor near my computer. He could go close to a 1/2 hour at a time. I worked during naps, early before he woke and after he went to bed at night to catch up from what I didn't get done during the day.

You are doing fine! C.

Mine play independently nearly all day. Baby on up...

If I get A SINGLE MOMENT of fully present, it's a rare thing! Simply trying to run the house...laundry, meals, etc.

You are fine, your baby is too. But you'll need daycare when she moves around or it'll be nuts for both of you, if you work at home.

no. do not play with her full time.. but make sure you do play with her and interact with her.

my one child was good at entertaining herself. my other child was not.

this continues to this day.