As a busy mom, I’m always trying to do a million things. Laundry, wash the dog, feed the kid, shower, maybe even attempt to exercise.
My son is also trying to do a million things. Create more laundry, harass the dog, feed his teddy bear, get dirty and also, get me to play with him.
Sometimes I get so focused on “getting things done” that I just want to keep going like how I would in pre-baby days. Do all the things! And do them all now! But in pre-baby days, there wasn’t a small child creating messes while I’m cleaning messes and constantly going “mommy, mommy, mommyyyyy” while I zoom around the house.
And then there’s this nagging memory I have from when I was little, where my mom would pretend to play with me while she doing housework. Like I’d be playing Monopoly and badly want someone to play with so she’d tell me to set the board up for two, and then play for her. So basically, my mom was my imaginary friend. I also remember thinking this arrangement sucked. There are some obvious drawbacks to being an only child.
(*As a side note, so as not to suffer future wrath from my mother, I have to say she really did make time for me. This was a just a memory that sticks from a particularly busy day.)
So on a daily basis, no matter how busy I am, or how much I need to get done, I make time to stop and play throughout the day. Whether it’s crashing cars off a ramp, building train tracks, or just sitting with him in his favorite chair while he watches a show, I make sure to stop and give him my full, undivided attention.
Because every time I realize he’s been begging me to play with him for too long, that Monopoly memory kicks in and I realize the laundry can wait. Who wants to do laundry when you can lie on the floor and color anyway?
Categories: Mom Life
Geek Mamas 
I love this because I go through the same thing. I always make time to play. Makes me sad to see people on their phones all the time when there are little ones running around. I wasn’t an only child but I was the youngest so had to play by myself most of the time. I don’t want my daughter to feel the way you did growing up because she’s also an only child.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m conscious of the phone thing too. If I’m on it too long he starts yelling at me “get off the phone!” Lol
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is so sweet. I too am an only child and my favorite childhood memories are with my Nana when she played school with me. She sat down at the kitchen table and gVe me her undivided attention. I was ALWaYS the teacher lol. My Nana’s classroom name was “Sara Lee” hahahahaha – those are my favorite memories
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lol! That is sweet though ❤️
LikeLike
Wow its so hard sometimes to just stop everything and play….cuz there’s so much to do. Sometimes our daughter just keep calling me to watch the dog with her or play with her the thing is she’s always asking when im busy doing things or when im resting….phew! But yes i want to be there for her but its so difficult sometimes.. my favorite thing to play with her is in the carton box…sometimes i must lay in it and thn i pretend im sleeping ohhhhh those seconds are heavenly…i know im bad 😭
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh I like it when we pretend sleep too! 😆 And it is hard! I know! I was struggling with it all day because we are organizing and unpacking. So hard to stop and suddenly play with cars for a bit when you’re in the cleaning zone.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, she’d say, we can go to the beach after I do the breakfast dishes and then I have to iron (IRON??), and then when that was done she’d vacuum, and by now Im insane (at 3 or 4 you only have so much patience) with fear that there’ll be a thunderstorm and then we get to invite the neighbor and her two kids, and NOW it’s 10:30 and Ive been in my bathing suit since dawn…
Play with your little boy. He’ll remember. If you don’t, he’ll remember that too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very true 😁
LikeLike