I’m not the world’s best stay-at-home-parent. I’m not patient, I have a short fuse, and I hate cleaning up the same messes over and over and over and over and… I’m sorry I got distracted. The point is, I’m not getting any better at it by wishing I was a better mother. So I decided that I was going to make a point of finding new, fun things to try with my kids. Hopefully they like what we do, and I can learn just as much about being a more mindful parent as I do about my children and their personalities while we go on these adventures together. This weeks’ adventure is building new toys.
When we first moved into our new house, I was a little devastated. I’d always imagined a really large yard that my boys could tumble around in. I have three very, very active and energetic children, all of whom are still very young. I don’t mind screen time, but I don’t want that to be the only thing my kids ever ask for. So I tried to find some other, more stimulating solutions to our small outdoor space issue. It’s good for kids to play, and we have a shit-ton of toys. Yes, that’s an actual standardized measurement – all parents seem to know it. But the problem is that my kids don’t always like to play with those toys. They always like the boxes, though. So I started thinking outside the box.
I bought one of those little tikes houses that I’d seen often in advertisements. It’s been sitting in my living room in its original box for about a month, because I’ve been too busy to build it. My kids keep asking and I kept frustratedly saying “Not now, I’m busy.” But that isn’t really fair, and it’s the opposite of the kind of parent I’m trying to learn to be. So I scheduled time (hopefully enough!) now that my kids’ preschool is out for the summer to put the toy together with their help. (Or probably their hindrance, but I’m trying to stay positive.) Hopefully it’s a good kid-venture for them, and maybe they will appreciate it more since they helped to build it. Plus, it will give them an outlet for their imagination when it’s done, something that’s always been so important to me. Have a wonderful weekend!
“I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living.” – Dr. Seuss
Fire In Wonderland 