Does your DH ever play with the kids?

[Anonymous]

I am getting frustrated and not sure if I'm overreacting. Does your DH play with your young kids? My husband might spend 20 minutes over the course of an entire weekend playing with our kids (3 years & infant). He'll help at bedtime and does the bulk of the discipline so I'll give him that. He works FT and I'm still on maternity leave so maybe he's leaning on me so much because I'm not back to work yet. But if this is how it's going to be when I go back to work, I may lose my mind. It was pretty much this way even before baby #2 but I was able to give our oldest all my attention. Now my attention is split and I'm feeling guilty, overwhelmed and a bit resentful. Anyone else?

[Anonymous]

They are very young. This may change a whole lot once they are older and can interact with him in a different way. Kicking a ball around and all of that may come into play later. Boardgames and cards, puzzles and such---these will be options later. For now, he may need help with it. And, no, I don't mean micromanaging this interaction.

What is your 3yo into these days? Blocks? Dino play? What's bath time look like? My goodness, we all needed to figure out the infant thing. Relay some of what the kids respond to and see how DH responds.

Keep an open mind. There's a long road ahead of you and LOTS of opportunity ahead. Try not to sour early.

[Anonymous]

That wouldn't fly in our house - not just bc of me, but bc DH wants to spend time w the kids. I have 2 kids, same ages. DH works FT, high-stress job and I'm a sahm. DH plays w and feeds the kids for about 1.5 hrs every morning and we're all together as a family for 30 min-1 hr in evening. He handles bedtime for our 3-yr old everyday. He's with both kids all morning on wknds and we're usually together for family activities on weekend afternoons.

[Anonymous]

Yes. All the time. Maybe even more than I do. Kids just turned 4 and 6.

[Anonymous]

Yes, more than I do. He is happy to roll around on the floor making ridiculous noises and pretending with them - I'm happy to watch

[Anonymous]

All the time - board games, toys on the floor, video games. He will also help with the homework that is not finished, feed, bathe, and pretty much do everything. If I want to go out when he comes home, he's supportive.

[Anonymous]

He may just be one of those people who find the kids are more interesting when they're about 5 years and older - easier to play with and to relate to.

[Anonymous]

Uh, of course. Constantly. Boys 2 and 4. All about to leave for the playground in fact.

[Anonymous]

My DH plays with the kids all the time. Honestly, I find it annoying because they never play by themselves because he is always ready to entertain them.

[Anonymous]

My DH plays a lot. Probably more than I do because they play while I cook dinner etc. we both work full time. We have a 2 year old son. They wrestle, play hide and seek, dinosaurs, blocks, kitchen, catch, go outside etc. DH really enjoys it. We also take turns so the other person gets a break. Today I took ds to the park for a bit and yesterday him and DH went to home depot

OP have you talked to him about it?

[Anonymous]

No. Part of the reason why we only have one.

[Anonymous]

Your dh is a bad dad.

[Anonymous]

All the time. When she was little watching him play Polly Pockets with a 4 year old is one of the memories I socked away to get me through the times when he is annoying the crap out of me. She is in middle school now and he can't keep her teachers straight, but he knows the name of every Polly Pocket they played with and every stuffed animal she has.

[Anonymous]

Yes. All of the time. More than I do. I do more things with them, but he sits down (or roughhouses) and actually plays with them more.

[Anonymous]

Yes, he's the main parent. He often folds one or both into what he's doing, but basically if he's home, he's interacting with them.