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Play Shirker

1
”Mummy, please can you play shops with me?”
”Of course darling child, light of my life, centre of my universe, let me just sort out the washing and I’ll be right there.”

Half an hour later and my daughter is playing shops all on her lonesome while I tidy bedrooms, order a supermarket delivery and (being totally honest) cock about on Facebook while finishing a cup of tea.

I annoy myself with this for many reasons.

1. This is not what I envisaged when I imagined myself as a Mum. I saw myself creating Pinterest worthy moments of imaginative

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playful bliss on a regular basis.

2. I know full well how important quality play opportunities are for children’s development. However, I have never read that sparkly windows or a defrosted freezer are essential in producing well-rounded individuals​.

3.  Like most of us, I comment regularly on how quickly time flies when you have children … I can’t believe she’s walking/going to nursery/riding a bike already!!
So why am I not making the most of this time? She sure as hell won’t want to be playing trains with me when she’s

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14!

4. When my daughter wins, and the housework is abandoned, I actually have a lot of fun! Sometimes too much… Building a lego farm, creating a Bake Off standard masterpiece out of playdough, and, my personal favourite, playing with (*re-organising) the doll’s house.

So why am I so quick to avoid just getting on the floor and having some fun? I think there are a few (lame arse) reasons.

Firstly, it’s a commonly known fact that if the children are entertained it’s a time to rush around and do as much as possible. Who knows how

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long you’ll have! In five minutes the peace could be shattered due to a devastating incident e.g. a child who is furious with her own feet because they are not sharing (true story).

Secondly, I’m getting on a bit and sitting on the floor is uncomfortable; I make old woman noises as I get down there and mutter about cushions and ’my back’.

Thirdly, and finally, I’m a dick. I’m a dick who sometimes prioritises chores and Facebook over quality time with my children.

So now it’s out there. I’m sure I’m not the only one who does it. I’m

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sure we all wish we did it less. Writing this has certainly made me say yes more to the requests for playing and we’re both benefitting as a result. So, if like me, you are a duplo dodger, a fancy dress fleer or a art avoider then I recommend saying yes to their pleas (just once in a while, WhatsApp won’t read itself!).

NB I will never be enthusiastic about painting at home. It takes an age to prepare, getting an apron on is always a fight, water is inevitably spilt, I will definitely be wiping up painty fingerprints from every surface within a 100

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metre radius for a week and the end results are usually disappointing. No budding Monet here*.

*Something she probably inherits from her mother.

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- 28 Mar 17

“Mummy, please can you play shops with me?”

“Of course darling child, light of my life, centre of my universe, let me just sort out the washing and I’ll be right there.”
Half an hour later and my daughter is playing shops all on her lonesome while I tidy bedrooms, order a supermarket delivery and (being totally honest) cock about on Facebook while finishing a cup of tea.
I annoy myself with this for many reasons.
1. This is not what I envisaged when I imagined myself as a Mum. I saw myself creating Pinterest worthy moments of imaginative playful bliss on a regular basis.
2. I know full well how important quality play opportunities are for children’s development. However, I have never read that sparkly windows or a defrosted freezer are essential in producing well-rounded individuals​.
3.  Like most of us, I comment regularly on how quickly time flies when you have children … I can’t believe she’s walking/going to nursery/riding a bike already!!
So why am I not making the most of this time? She sure as hell won’t want to be playing trains with me when she’s 14!
4. When my daughter wins, and the housework is abandoned, I actually have a lot of fun! Sometimes too much… Building a lego farm, creating a Bake Off standard masterpiece out of playdough, and, my personal favourite, playing with (*re-organising) the doll’s house.
So why am I so quick to avoid just getting on the floor and having some fun? I think there are a few (lame arse) reasons.
Firstly, it’s a commonly known fact that if the children are entertained it’s a time to rush around and do as much as possible. Who knows how long you’ll have! In five minutes the peace could be shattered due to a devastating incident e.g. a child who is furious with her own feet because they are not sharing (true story).
Secondly, I’m getting on a bit and sitting on the floor is uncomfortable; I make old woman noises as I get down there and mutter about cushions and ‘my back’.
Thirdly, and finally, I’m a dick. I’m a dick who sometimes prioritises chores and Facebook over quality time with my children.
So now it’s out there. I’m sure I’m not the only one who does it. I’m sure we all wish we did it less. Writing this has certainly made me say yes more to the requests for playing and we’re both benefitting as a result. So, if like me, you are a duplo dodger, a fancy dress fleer or a art avoider then I recommend saying yes to their pleas (just once in a while, WhatsApp won’t read itself!).
NB I will never be enthusiastic about painting at home. It takes an age to prepare, getting an apron on is always a fight, water is inevitably spilt, I will definitely be wiping up painty fingerprints from every surface within a 100 metre radius for a week and the end results are usually disappointing. No budding Monet here*.
*Something she probably inherits from her mother.

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