Reply to DH does nothing with our 5 yo except let him have electronics

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[quote=Anonymous]My husband and I hate going outside to "play catch" or go for a walk with kids. But we have other strengths and tend to choose things we like to do ourselves and include our children. For instance, my husband loves coloring (to relax), so he buys coloring books for him and for the kids and great gel pens and they will sit together and color. We don't force them, but they want to because they want to do something with their father (not all the time, mind you). He will go out and take the children for an ice cream. He likes legos, so he buys some kits and work together with the youngest (oldest not interested). Since covid, I have subscribed to science kits for the older and younger child and he works with them on that... this type of stuff. But to be honest, aside the coloring and lego, I have to plan those things and "tell" him to do it with the kids (he would much rather play his video game).

He doesn't mind doing it with the kids and enjoys the activity once he is doing, just not think about these type of stuff and/or plan for them. So I have to spoon feed it for him.

I do my own thing with the children based on my interests and strengths and we both take turns doing the stuff we do not like but are necessary, like taking the youngest outside to play/scooter/bike etc since she needs supervision. Thank God the oldest can do all that on her own!

But to be honest, for the most part we just tell the children, even the 5y old, to "go play!" She may complain about playing by herself or not knowing what to play for 10 min or so, but eventually finds something to entertain herself and I can hear her making up stories and voices while playing with  her toys. To the older child, I mostly say "go read, draw or go for a bike ride!" It works for us.

Maybe you should just spoon feed your husband activities - "I got this lego set for you guys to work together" or "I want you to take DS for a bike ride/scooter today" or "I want you to take DS for an ice cream" but also you should start training your DS to learn to play by himself and entertain himself with his toys or coloring or play doh, etc.

We don't need to be our children's entertainers. We do this activities together not to entertain them, but to spend quality time together and foster a relationship.[/quote]

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