It is horrible when illness prevents us from going to Playcentre.
This week, due to a very minor illness, we stayed home alone for two days. I was going out of my mind.
Lately, when I am playing with the child (and his Transformers), I get
I want to tidy up, or have a cup of coffee, or
If I try to do something else, the child orders me to PLAY!
I feel like a TV. The child wants me to entertain him. ALL DAY.
A friend said I just need to give the child five minutes. Then I will get an hour of alone time.
But if I give the child five minutes, he wants another hour.
I must be doing it wrong.
3 comments:
Imaginary play like Thomas and Cars is difficult for me because I have to be in the moment and give 100%. Whereas with playdo or a puzzle my mind wanders to my mental grocery list or the other 50 things that need to be done. I just try to remember that the days are long but the years are short....or something like that, lol.
I get to play My Little Pony for my sins. I get bored too :) I don't think you're doing it wrong, and I don't think that 5 minutes will get you an hour either! I started making a concerted effort to get my half hour a few months ago and it seems to work to a degree if I really sound like I mean it, and stick to my guns. I make sure Hazel has something to do and I say "I am going to do X for a few minutes and that means I am not going to play with you." She does come and pester but I just say no, I'm doing this, and eventually she goes and does something on her own, happy as larry. As everyone tells me, I'm doing her a service by teaching her to play on her own and use her own imagination but darn it's hard sometimes! And yeah, sometimes it just isn't going to happen and the whining wears me down. But she's only four, and there is only so long I can be Rainbow Dash without going insane.
My girls expect me to constantly entertain them. And I do. Because I have no tolerance for whining. (About the sleep thing, no judging! I just mean that I would get no sleep. And it's all about me and MY sleep!...)
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