How often do you play with your children?

[joy7s]

Originally Posted by Tiffer23 Honestly, hardly ever. Isn't that horrid of me? He's always been wonderful at entertaining himself, so I never really even thought of it. We do lots of things together and talk CONSTANTLY, but as far as me sitting down and actually playing with him with toys or something... like never ever.

WHEW!! I felt like i was the only one for a min there.. Honestly I know I should play with them more... I too like to finish what i started and I feel like I"m always trying to finish..

I do think b/c I did encourage them playing by themselves they are very good at it..

I do read to them a lot.. but playing not much. I have to force myself to and even then I feel like I"m not good at it.. My mom never played with me either..

[heatherslove]

Originally Posted by joy7s I do read to them a lot.. but playing not much. I have to force myself to and even then I feel like I"m not good at it.. My mom never played with me either..

That's me exactly. I WANT to play with my kids, but I'm not good at it either. My parents didn't exactly play with me much either. I feel so guilty all the time and I think my 20 month old DS is not getting enough attention. DD goes to preschool 5 days a week for 3.5 hours and instead of focusing my time on him, I use it to clean or run errands since it's easier to do with 1 than with 2. DS likes to play by himself but he loves it when I read to him.

[jenn5388]

Originally Posted by MyM&W I'm a SAHM as well. It just seems like no matter how much I play with her she still wants more. It sounds mean but I can't play with her all day long. I just can't. We will play and after we get done she will ask me to play again not even 10 minutes later. I'm at a loss.

That's my miranda!

I refuse to play all day long. I have stuff to do! I can't play all day long, but I do try to fit in a little here and a little there.. I think you have to look at what playing really is, I don't think it needs to be sit down playtime/board games/ etc, I think just including them in things you are doing sometimes is good as well. Atleast it better be, because that's alot of the "playtime" we have anymore. lol I don't have the energy she has. lol

[Fashionably Green Baby]

Mama,
I think you are on track. If you play and read and talk to your kids each and every day you are doing it right. You are a mom but you are also a wife and homekeeper and woman and you have to try and balance all of that and it is not possible to do it all if you are playing all day. My daughter (who is also 4) is very much like yours. It is funny though because as a baby/toddler she always wanted to play by herself but since my son (15 months) is a cuddle bug and likes lots of attention I think she realized OH I could get that attention too! KWIM? You have to play with your kids but you also have to teach them patience and show them that there are other things to be done around the house!

[Sassu]

Originally Posted by Fashionably Green Baby Mama, I think you are on track. If you play and read and talk to your kids each and every day you are doing it right. You are a mom but you are also a wife and homekeeper and woman and you have to try and balance all of that and it is not possible to do it all if you are playing all day. My daughter (who is also 4) is very much like yours. It is funny though because as a baby/toddler she always wanted to play by herself but since my son (15 months) is a cuddle bug and likes lots of attention I think she realized OH I could get that attention too! KWIM? You have to play with your kids but you also have to teach them patience and show them that there are other things to be done around the house!

[joy7s]

Originally Posted by heatherslove That's me exactly. I WANT to play with my kids, but I'm not good at it either. My parents didn't exactly play with me much either. I feel so guilty all the time and I think my 20 month old DS is not getting enough attention. DD goes to preschool 5 days a week for 3.5 hours and instead of focusing my time on him, I use it to clean or run errands since it's easier to do with 1 than with 2. DS likes to play by himself but he loves it when I read to him.

you and i sound a lot a like.. when I do sit down to play with them I end up doing my own thing.. Ie playdough or coloring my own pic..

I don't think you should feel guilty though do the best you can with what you have.. that's why we were each made differently! My oldest is SO creative and I'm so proud of her for it.. I don't know if she ever wants me to play with her she doesn't usually ask..

[mom2~3offspring]

Originally Posted by Nanner99 I have 4- ages 9, 4, 2.5 and 9 mos. So, uh, not that much. My oldest was an only for 5.5 yrs and I was basically at her beck and call. It really was not healthy for her or me in our case. I talk to the kids a lot, since they like to follow me around and talk to me constantly (mostly the 4 and 2 yr old boys- that is a very talkative age!). I feel like my 9 yr old gets the short end of the stick and I *hate* that, but I am only one person and the little ones just need more care/attention. Other than that, I feel like I spend enough time "playing" with them, plus they all have chores (besides the baby ) and get positive attention for doing those or helping me out. Honestly, I think some playtime/reading/undivided attention is necessary, but not a ton of it. It's healthy for kids to be bored, learn patience, and figure out how to entertain themselves. Have you tried keeping to a routine where she knows exactly when she can expect one on one time with you? I need to take my own advice on that one, as I need a way to preserve my sanity. lol.

ITA ! We have 4 kids almost 9 , 5, 3 11months. Its rough, I also feel the same way about my oldest getting short end of stick..:/

[starbuckmom]

I interact tons during the day with my kids. I don't always sit on the floor and pretend play with my ods. I leave that up to my dh I do sit on the floor and interact with my kids, read books, do finger plays, poems, songs, etc. I am more the type to cook with them, read books, play outside, have them help with chores (they love to push the laundry buckets around the house for me )

[nkdmkmom]

I have 3 teenage bonus kids, 4 yo ds, and 3mo dd. I constantly feel guilty for not playing with ds enough! I feel like you do - like I constantly have dishes, laundry or cooking to do, let alone major cleaning and taking care of the baby. I do take him somewhere at least 2 times per week (zoo, science museum, park, pool, grocery, etc) but it still doesn't feel like enough! I guess that guilt and lack of playtime is just one of the harder parts of having multiple children.

[Kaboom]

I have 4 kiddos - ages 5, almost 4, almost 2, and newborn. I rarely play with my children... we talk, sing, and otherwise interact with eachother a lot during the day - but actually 'playing'... basically never. The 5, 4, and 2 year old would rather play with eachother anyway, and most of my time is taken up schooling them, taking care of the baby, taking care of the household, or we're out running errands. I don't feel bad about it - I don't remember my mom ever playing with me? I always was content playing with friends or by myself (I don't have siblings close in age). I DO remember the regular interacting with her though (singing in the car and stuff), which I do with my kiddos