Scary Mommy | Wendy Wisner
I love my kids to bits, but like most parents, I grumble about them plenty. I actually think it’s totally healthy for parents to vent — it prevents us from going crazy. I’ll complain to family and friends with things like, “I just wish I could eat a meal in peace!” or “I simply want to poop alone,” or “Why can’t I freaking get anything done around here?”
Usually the response is: “Oh, I so get that. You’re not alone. It will pass.” But occasionally, someone will say something to me along the lines of, “You should just let them play. Teach them to entertain themselves!” I know it’s not meant to be mean or judgmental. But when people say that to me, I want to respond with: “You just don’t get it!”
Maybe something is wrong with me, or with my kids. Who the hell knows. But my kids do nothing like “entertain themselves” unless you count the hours they spendbeing entertained by their iPads. And believe me, my kids play all the time, but I can’t just let them at it, and then go do something else — that is, unless I want a my house destroyed or if I feel like making a couple of trips to the ER.
I’ve got two boys, a 3-year-old and a 9-year-old. My 3-year-old can actually play by himself sometimes. I mean, god forbid I tell him to do so, but if left to his own devices and if he’s in the right mood, he can spend maybe 20 or 30 minutes playing superheroes by himself. But if he’s cranky, or if his big brother is around to distract him (butt in), there’s no way.
by MindMake via MindMake Blog
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