If they want to play puppies or cars or pokeman, I try to ask myself why I am saying no. If I am really not busy with anything else, I make an effort to play with them for a half hour or so. I try to remind myself that I would be unhappy if I never got to do what I wanted, and I'm sure my kids feel the same when I say no all the time.
This is so true! I am reading Lawrence Cohen's "Playful Parenting", and he talks of the importance of play to children, especially parents playing with their children. He states how when kids want us to play with them, we are bored in 5 minutes, yet we expect them to be able to have long attention spans when it's something *we* want them to do. And kids *LOVE* to play with their parents. I can do just about anything but play house - I do that all day long!
I have found the book really helpful and hope to get my own copy after I take this one back to the library (after I am done extending the book loan for as long as possible. It's hard to get reading done with two little ones!).
If we have read a story they like then I encourage them to build something that relates to the story. I will help them sometimes and sometimes I watch and give encouragement. I will help them make tents (either under the table or between the couch and chair) and then find things for them to play with in the tents. If I am doing something and they want to help (like cook or clean) then I let them. We play with balls alot, tossing in baskets, catching, throwing. We also do lots of different crafts.
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Robin wife to one awesome guy for 18 years,
mama to four beautiful boys
Another non-player here. It's just not interesting to me to engage in child's play. I guess that I'm more contiuum concept-ish in that way.
I'll dance with the kids, and I read to them a lot. In the summer I'll throw or kick balls with them in the yard. But mostly, I involve them in my daily activities whenever possible.
I don't think that my kids suffer for it. They learn to be creative on their own instead of being dependant on mom to entertain them.
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Ann, mama of Avery (8) Ben (7) Noelle (6) Lindsey (4) Myspace
Location: somewhere between complete exhaustion and utter euphoria
Posts: 5,883
Quote:
Originally Posted by arasmama
I am not a child and I get really bored with most kid games. I had two kids so they would have someone else to play with.
That said, I do things with my kids, just not kid things. They cook with me, clean house (they think vacuuming is fun - go figure), sew with me. We go for walks and bike rides, go to the park, visit museums, read stories, and I do set out projects with them and sometimes I do the actual project (if it is something I enjoy, like beading). Sometimes I'll play board games if it is something that doesn't bore me to tears.
My kids play pretend almost all day. I don't join in unless it is something I can do while doing other household things. I don't mind placing an order in their restuarant if I can get it to go
Unless you only have 1 child, I guess I don't see the need to "play" with them. I interact with my kids ALL DAY LONG. They get tons of mommy time, it just isn't all devoted strictly to them.
This is me. I do my adult things and, if they want to be, involve them. They love to cook. And they like to vacuum. We do lots together. But, I rarely "play" with them. We do do some crafts together but they do many on their own. I love to sculpt and paint so I try to do that with them. We do read a lot. When I was home full-time with them, we read up to four hours a day. Now it is not so much by me. But, since Beth can read, she reads to herself and to Samantha a lot.
Knowing I was not going to devote myself to playing with them lots, I have provided them with lots of stuff to stimulate their imagination. We do not watch much TV (like 3 hours a week), no game systems, limited computer time (like 4 hours a month but this is self-limited), lots of playsilks, simple dolls, horses, trains, dollhouse, art supplies easily accessible, LOTS of dress-up stuff.
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Michelle
-- Mom to Beth, 11 and Sam, 8
We do playmobil, lego, playdough, drawing, painting, coloring, nature hikes, digging in the backyard dirt, making movies, etc. But I only have one child, so I imagine it is easier in a way to play with him than it would be to play with more than one child. On the other hand, he doesn't have any siblings to play with...it's all me.
I'm another parent who does not normally play with her kids. I believe that children should play with each other - they don't need me. My job is to be a mommy and help them if they need it, console them if they need, hold them, etc. My job is taking care of the whole unit - kids , house, husband, and myself. We do a number of activities side by side - I read, they read - sometimes we'll read together (I do read a lot of books to my 3 yr old). They help me bake, clean, etc. During nice weather I watch them outside and will throw a ball, help ride a bike, etc. I frequently take them to the park - weather permitting. Since I've been on bedrest, I've had so many offers of people to come to my house and 'play ' with my kids. Thanks, but they already know how to play - they don't need more instruction. OH, and my 3 yr old LOVES to play pretend, so if he's involved and comes to me, then I certainly respond in kind. Most of the time, he's singing and dancing around my living room (a daily thing going on for at least a year).
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tyuipos?? NAK
Rivka; mother of A, N, and R & the twins
and Sam, 8 
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