I made a goal to be totally engaged with my children all day and all I can say is, "How in the sam hill do mothers for whom this is normal, do this? I can only take so many games of Duck and Goose!" My 2 year old insists on calling it, "Duck and Goose" and insists on playing it constantly. He even plays it in the car...he pats the heads of his sisters', seated on either side of him. And for the running part? We yell, "Run, Run, Run!!!!" while he laughs hysterically in his carseat. It's a riot. Don't you wish you had my life? He is pretty cute, buck teeth and all.
Image of the Day
Challenge for tomorrow
Get my fat rear end on the treadmill and off of facebook. I'll let you know how that goes. Thank goodness you can hide yourself when you are on that stupid addicting site.
P.S. How many hours of the day do you estimate you are engaged...I mean really engaged with your kids?
2 comments:
Carrie,
We are on the same page--I made the same goal for myself last Friday! I kept Anders home from school and dedicated the day to fun Halloween activities--by 4pm I was thinking "why in the heck did I think this was a good idea?"
I've thought a lot about your question of engagement. Implicit in your question is that you don't think you spend enough time engaged with your kids. I often feel the same way, but then I read an article about "post-modern parenting" and how we are really the first generation to spend so much time "engaged" with our kids. It used to be that you put the kids in the backyard and let them do their thing, you know? I definitely see the benefit of spending time on the floor playing with your kids, but I also think it's important for them to learn how to entertain themselves. They need to learn that the world isn't designed around them and their needs--unfortunately I think if we spend too much time centering our lives around our childrens' every desire it can lead to a sense of entitlement, you know? Okay this was way too long.
First things first...that is the number one reason why I have refused to join facebook while the rest of the world has fallen in love with it! I know myself too well...I am the nosiest person alive, so I just know that I WOULD waste hours snooping around the lives of people from high school who I totally don't care about while ignoring my life and responsibilities!
As for time spent "engaged" with Lia...I try to get down on the floor with her once a day to do things like puzzles or coloring or read a book to her. That helps me to make it a priority for an hour or so a day....but I totally agree, I can only dance to her children's music for so long before I am just done. Amen.
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