Do you like playing with your young (<5) children?

[Anonymous]

Your nannies are laughing at you

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/nanny-forum/posts/list/286989.page

[Anonymous]

Yes, I do. (Although I totally get the PP with the princess play - my daughter is totally bossy and she tells me exactly what to say, leaving me thinking, "do I even need to be here?") I work FT but half of that time I work from home, the other half from an office. The days I work from home it's so awesome because I can play with my daughter before daycare and pick her up early because I'm not commuting. I love it. She loves Candyland and Chutes and Ladders right now and this goes on for hours. It can get "boring" but hey, I'm competitive, I actually want to win these stupid games! As it turns out, she legitimately beats me almost all the time. So wait, I probably don't like playing with her....

[Anonymous]

I also find pretend play tiresome, but I try to do it as much as I can stand, because DS loves it so much when I do.

I have zero memories of my own mother playing with me, and when I asked her about it she said "That's because I never did. You had friends, and then later, siblings, for that." FWIW, she only worked very part time and was in her mid-20s when I was born.

[Anonymous]

I find this post very sad.

[Anonymous]

I don't find it sad. I find it realistic. I was a great babysitter growing up because I played nonstop with my charges. And then I got to go home and do my own thing. When you're Mom, that's not an option. There's no downtime. So you work out a balance as best you can. I do play with my kids quite a bit, IMO, but as they grow older and more independent in their play (and more cooperative with each other), I'm happy to finally get the dishes or laundry done during the day instead of after bedtime. Even better if I get to sit on the couch and browse through a catalog. It's absolutely exhausting and more than a little soul-sucking to have to entertain young kids constantly.

[Anonymous]

The things I enjoy doing with my son are the things I also enjoy doing on my own (for example, sports, puzzles, board games). Do I enjoy running around the couch 500 times chasing him? No. Do I do it anyway? Yes, because he's my son and I love him and it makes him happy.

But I don't think it makes me evil to admit on some message board that I get tired of it. My son gets tired of doing lots of shit I make him do to.

Such is life.

[Anonymous]

Love being with my kids. Love going to the park, cuddling and reading a book, making something in the kitchen, doing a craft, going for a walk, running errands. I think it is an attitude. I WOH and so every second I get to spend with my boys is a gift-- and there is no way I am going to waste any of it by having a bad attitude-- our little ones feel what we are feeling and know when we are really in tune with them. My 2yo and 4yo are so funny and creative and silly-- and so we always end up having a good time. Try to think of time together as a gift that will be gone all too soon and not a chore to get through.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't find it sad. I find it realistic. I was a great babysitter growing up because I played nonstop with my charges. And then I got to go home and do my own thing. When you're Mom, that's not an option. There's no downtime. So you work out a balance as best you can. I do play with my kids quite a bit, IMO, but as they grow older and more independent in their play (and more cooperative with each other), I'm happy to finally get the dishes or laundry done during the day instead of after bedtime. Even better if I get to sit on the couch and browse through a catalog. It's absolutely exhausting and more than a little soul-sucking to have to entertain young kids constantly.

This post says nothing about constantly playing with your children. It's about playing with your children at all.
Why even have them if you'd rather watch television or go shopping than interact with them?

[Anonymous]

Oh please PP. Back in our parents' day, there was little to no expectation that parents would constantly play with their kids all day and love it. Children were expected to fit into adult lives and learn how to entertain themselves. While I don't believe that children should be "seen and not heard," I think most can agree that our current child centric culture has swung too far the other way.

And ftr, I can handle playing with my kids for short bursts of time but anything longer is completely tedious. And yet they know I love them whole heartedly. There are many different ways to show love and affection.

[Anonymous]

No. Too boring.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your nannies are laughing at you

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/nanny-forum/posts/list/286989.page

They're not very smart over there, are they? The ability to actually read and take away what is being said, rather than what they think is being said or assume is being said, isn't their strong suit in general is it?

[Anonymous]

I have many memories of my parents reading to me or playing cards/a board game.

I have zero recollection of any other type of play. Most of the time we were out playing on the swingset or in the pool if it was summer (with parents there on the pool deck).

But after my parents got home from work? There was no parent playtime. Kids played and did their thing, mom made dinner and graded papers (teacher) and dad wrote out his invoices from his day's clients. They read to us before bed and tucked us in.

I think parenting expectation have shifted and I'm not a fan, really. since my 3 year old can't seem to entertain herself for 5 minutes or do anything without one of us sitting there staring intently at her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have many memories of my parents reading to me or playing cards/a board game.

I have zero recollection of any other type of play. Most of the time we were out playing on the swingset or in the pool if it was summer (with parents there on the pool deck).

But after my parents got home from work? There was no parent playtime. Kids played and did their thing, mom made dinner and graded papers (teacher) and dad wrote out his invoices from his day's clients. They read to us before bed and tucked us in.

I think parenting expectation have shifted and I'm not a fan, really. since my 3 year old can't seem to entertain herself for 5 minutes or do anything without one of us sitting there staring intently at her.

14:36 here. I agree with this. My childhood was similar and I never thought that was a bad thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your nannies are laughing at you

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/nanny-forum/posts/list/286989.page

They're not very smart over there, are they? The ability to actually read and take away what is being said, rather than what they think is being said or assume is being said, isn't their strong suit in general is it?

Aw, did the nannies hurt your feelings? Your grouping of all of "them" as if we are so inherently seperate from you, below you even, and as if the opinion of a few represent the whole, speaks volumes of your own intelligence. But I'm guessing that defending yourself from an assertion, of which you are actually guilty, isn't your strong suit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your nannies are laughing at you

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/nanny-forum/posts/list/286989.page

They're not very smart over there, are they? The ability to actually read and take away what is being said, rather than what they think is being said or assume is being said, isn't their strong suit in general is it?

Aw, did the nannies hurt your feelings? Your grouping of all of "them" as if we are so inherently seperate from you, below you even, and as if the opinion of a few represent the whole, speaks volumes of your own intelligence. But I'm guessing that defending yourself from an assertion, of which you are actually guilty, isn't your strong suit.

No, my feelings don't get hurt by people like that. "They" are the ones who identified as nannies. I'm referring to "them." Seriously, critical thinking. Reading comprehension. Give it try.