Ask:
Ok, so that might sound condescending as if we sahm's don't do anything, but that's not what I meant. Being a sahm for 8 mo. now, I find our routine changes. I used to do my chores when the kids were up and playing. I felt like I wasn't spending enough time w/ them. So I changed it so my major chores are done during nap time (roughly 2 hrs.). My ds is almost 2 and dd almost 4. They play together a lot, but do end up fighting over toys. Ds is too young to color cause he eats crayons and dd can't do anything w/out him joining in. I love my kids and want to spend quality time w/ them, not just them sitting in front of the t.v. or playing in a corner. I've looked at the family fun website, but I don't see alot of stuff I could involve my ds in. I just wonder sometimes what everyone else does during their day and how it differs from me.
Answer:
me and my ds play we have tickle fights, we do puzzles, we go outside and play in the snow, and we color and i clean up during his nap time. he is almost 3. he will also help me bake, and he helps out with chores, he thinks they are fun. how old is your ds? my ds always wants to join in wiht my dd when she is home from school and if its something that is difficult for him to do then i wil help him out. it helps ease the frustration in my dd. we play lots of different things. fiund out what they have the most fun doing.
Answer:
I don't clean or do most household stuff until they are asleep. Inside: We read, Julia does her K curriculum, do puzzles, do arts and crafts, playdoh, painting, coloring, we cook/bake, we play blocks(wood, foam, mega, legos), we play trains, pretend kitchen, dolls, puppet shows, you name it we do it. I'm still nursing so we do alot of reading on the couch while I feed Jenna or I'll get them something out to do while I feed her. Your son isn't too young to color if you sit with him and just keep taking them out of his mouth, he'll get the point. Or you could use the color wonder markers for him, my kids loved that at his age. A fun idea that is edible is yogurt fingerpainting, just scoop plain lowfat yogurt into small bowls, add different colors to each bowl and go at it. My son especially loved that. For the holidays we have done TONS of baking and decorating. In good weather we spend alot of time playing outside, playground, go to the lake to feed ducks, go on nature walks, during snow we make snow angels and snow people. There are great books for suggestions: Usborne Playtime Activites, Where is Thumbkin?, Let's Find Out About ___ Series, I put all these in another thread asking for activities, there are lots more, check your library in the education section.
Answer:
I work 12 hr shifts so I'm home 4 days/week. I run errands in the morning when places are less crowded. We color, play with play dough, horses, dolls, read, play dress up. She helps with chores like laundry and dishes. (dries things that cannot break) I take her to library story time, gymnastics once a week, walks, the park, picnics.
Answer:
i struggle day to day at times because my 3yr old isnt into toys - she is a physical kid and just wants to be outside, running, bike riding, stuff like that.
i have a 3 and 1yr old.
the 3 yr old goes to "moms day out" 2x a week from 9-1 (a godsend)
i have a playgroup once a week on mondays from 1030-1230
i go work out and plop them in the toy room on wednesdays
literally staying home for me is hard but when i do, i have found that if she wants to watch "mickey mouse club" i let her - then i turn the tv off and pull out a craft while i get a chore done. i then let her watch another 30 min show then pull out a toy rubbermaid that has been "packed away" for a few weeks so the toys are new again. during baby naptime (1030) we go outside and i check and read mail and clean out my car while she is riding her bike on the driveway.
oh and i never try and do chores during naptime - its my time to relax to since the "4-6_ time is very hard to gut through.
when im having a very bad day, i throw the 3 yr old in the tub or we go to burger king where she can go in the tunnels for an hour and i can feed the baby and look at a magazine or zone out with out her getting on my last nerve!
Answer:
let me add to this...
after nap time (330-4 ish) is when i get on the floor and devote time to her. im not her all day playmate so maybe im different than other moms in that sence. from 4-6 is when i read, play with the trains, play kitchen and actually am on the floor with them.
Answer:
I guess that's why I started this thread. I feel like I don't play w/ them as much as other moms on here seem to. Really I don't think they mind if they play w/ each other, by themselves, or w/ me. I do like you do and spend a couple hours doing activities or stuff w/ them. I'm a hands on mom, its just that I feel like I'm just sitting there watching them play and that's it. I feel guilty so its nice to know I'm not the only one who does this. I don't think its a bad thing, cause everyone has a different way. Thanks!