Since it is the weekend, and since
I tend to have a busy brain, I have been thinking—thinking about how I like to
spend time with my kids.
I like to play with my kids. My
husband and I, we both do. He loves to play sports and jump on the trampoline
and teach them skateboard tricks. I like to listen to music with my kids, and
read the same books, and play video games, and build with Legos.
There used to be a time (quite a
while ago) where I could hold my own in video gaming against them, but those days are long
past. The teams get divided and the four year old gets picked before me.
Granted, he is a much better player than I am. The boys always reassure me that
I am still loved, even if I made the team lose.
My favorite thing to do with my
kids is play Legos. We love those building blocks at our house. We have oodles
and oodles of them. I love to sit down with my kids and talk and create. They
tell me about things they are interested in and what is going on in their
lives. They confide in me about what is important to them, or what is worrying
them. I get to give them positive feedback on what they are making, as well as
on their ideas and life in general. Sitting around the Lego buckets is the
sacred sweat lodge of our family.
Plus, I really think they like me
to play because my main job is to dig through the buckets and find specific
pieces. I use my considerable mom-can-find-stuff
skills so I am very good at it.
Take a day or two to observe how
your kids play; what do they like to do? Then join in. Let them play their way
until you find an opening to gently teach or bond with them. You don't have to
make yourself their friend and throw out your standards,
but you can be a playful parent.
Think of how amazing it would have
if your mom had understood anything about how to evolve a Pokemon or how cool
it was the first time you legitimately scored on her in soccer. Dance around,
sing some of their songs. Make up news words and now your family has a special
secret bond...(Sing to Taylor Swift) And you all know, "that we are never ever ever ordering.... bacon
flavor!"
