Have you tried giving them a prize if they can self entertain for a bit?
For instance, set her up with something, a coloring page and crayons for this example, and say you'll give her a sticker on the calendar if she can color it beautifully for 30 minutes. Set a timer. And tell her if she gets three stickers that day, she gets a prize- bedtime story with both you and Frank, a board game before bed, something with your attention. She'll learn that by doing that thing solo that day, she'll be rewarded with primo attention time that night...
That's a good idea. Any ideas for fun rewards for preteens? lol I think one of our major difficulties that Frank and I are facing is that she's in that transition phase where she's not doing kiddy things anymore, but she's not a teenager yet. She's 11, going on 12 in September.
She does enjoy colouring and making drawings. Maybe I can make it a Rosie-approved activity too. And we can remind her of the things she enjoys doing on her own.
That actually gave me some ideas. :) Thank you!