Name: Spreading the Feast Gathering
Start: 2025-07-11T00:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-07-12T23:59:59-05:00
Location: LaGrange, KY

Tagged: playing

This topic has 37 replies, 24 voices, and was last updated 10 years, 10 months ago by Karen.

Viewing 8 posts - 31 through 38 (of 38 total)

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August 8, 2014 at 11:26 am
ruth
Participant
For personal hobbies I do as Tristan does and inclued the kids in what I am doing. They have thier own spot in the garden to grow what they want. They love to dig and plant seeds and check the garden every day to see what has grown. When my kids where tiny I would just plop them in a play pen and garden. I still have trouble with my 2 yr old picking unripe veggies or ripping out plants, but she is learning. I just accepted that that would happen until she learned. When i sew I give the kids scrap fabric and scissors. They love to cut stuff up! They love helping in the kitchen when I am cooking. The 2 yr old just pulls out all the pots and pans and has fun with those. It’s more mess to pick up later, but again I realized that and accepted it years ago. She will learn to pick up after herself soon enough. I can knit when the kids are playing outside and I just sit and read or knit while keeping an ear out for them. Sometimes my kids will just go choose to play somewhere else rather than do what I am doing. I just set the timer then so I don’t get carried away and “play” myself for too long.
My special needs child was also my oldest, but he really responded to diet changes and is now “cured” for lack of a better word. When he was little I had to sit down and teach him how to play and interact with other kids. Lots of play at public parks helped him learn how to interact with other kids as well. I still have to occasionally work with him (he’s nine now) when knew social issues arise from interacting with other children and more attitude and emotinal issues, but it’s not day to day and his nature is to learn something a couple of times and then it is permanatly in his brain.
August 8, 2014 at 6:28 pm
Laurie
Participant
At what age is this really appropriate. I just don’t see an only child almost 3 spending most of the day on their own. Dad and I both play but he is definitely wanting more time, so I am trying to find the balance.
August 8, 2014 at 6:55 pm
sarah2106
Participant
I think it depends on the child, but at 3, my kids were not playing on their own.
I have 3 when the first was 4.5 and second was 3 they started to play on their own a lot more. I had just had another baby so they kept eachother company.
My youngest is now 3 and he plays well with his siblings, but still comes to me often to play with him. He likes to do puzzles, dot-to-dot, legos… with me. I enjoy it and he does to.
No, I do not drop everything to pay, but he will be big soon enough. 🙂 Some kids have quality time as their love language and it speaks so much when you can just spend time with them doing what interests them even if I find it “boring”
I have many memories of my parents playing with myself and siblings. Yes, they still did their things and I remember my mom taking usually an hour every day when we were not to bother her, but I also remember her rolling down hills and paying tag. There were 4 of us and we were homeschooled (K-12). My mom did not have hobbies when we were young, but she knew it was only for a season. When I graduated (I was the youngest) she started quilting and other hobbies. She said she never missed doing “things” because she knew the time would pass quickly.
August 8, 2014 at 7:10 pm
mrsmccardell
Participant
Thanks sarah2106, that was exactly what I needed to hear. And what a funny visual of your mom rolling down hills! I don’t know if it’s a season b/c my dd needs everything to be shown to her but I guess it will at least change as the others get older and more independent. I was putting pressure on myself b/c of reading other’s opinions of what I should be doing…that I should have a hobby.
Thanks.
August 8, 2014 at 7:17 pm
sarah2106
Participant
You know what your family needs now, and those needs change year to year, sometimes day to day. 🙂
I like to crochet and it comes in spurts, right now is not that time, but I know time will come around again.
I was playing tag with my boys outside while my daughter was at piano lessons (she takes piano at a church) and an older couple walked by and the women said “it is so nice to see a mom playing with her kids. They will remember this” I think/hope they will 🙂
August 8, 2014 at 7:25 pm
sarah2106
Participant
I also think playing with with and entertaining can be different.
If I am playing legos with them, it is not entertaining, we are just doing things together and having fun.
I do not entertain the kids, but they often think of games and pretend “worlds” and it does make there day when I can set my things aside and join in the fun
August 8, 2014 at 8:40 pm
Claire
Participant
I think it is all a personal stage and choice and family situation – that is the best point to emphasize.
I also agree self goes out the door when you have children. So, in terms of having time for me and my hobbies etc. …. I’m in line after everything else. And I do struggle with that too. Very much so in fact. I haven’t found any magic bullet to finding that balance or time or whatever it is that I’m seeking for myself. I like some of the suggestions here. Food for thought.

August 8, 2014 at 10:11 pm
Karen
Participant
I am amazed at how creative some of my girls are – when I want to sew, I give them fabric and scissors, needles and thread, like the others mentioned. And now that this is normal to them, they very rarely ask me to stitch anything for them on the machine.
(I used to HATE….okay, I still HATE when they ask me to stitch something for them – I’m in the middle of my seam of the day!) Anyway, sometimes I would stitch a quick seam for them. Now, though, they figure out how to do it on their own – hand sewing. It’s not always pretty. I’m certain if my mom saw it, she’d cringe. But, they’re keeping themselves busy, and that’s very important.
And, Claire, I struggle with doing what I want, too. In fact, I came home from errands today super excited because I actually caught JoAnn Fabrics at a 5 for $5 Simplicity pattern sale! The first in YEARS! And I got a new pattern for myself. I can’t wait to try it. But first, canning green beans, QuickBooks, chores, supper, baths,…… you get the picture! 🙂