Is play supposed to be fun… ? 😵💫
✨️SAVE this for later when you need a reminder!✨️
Based on what we see on social media and in society in general, we mamas have this false belief that a good mom always plays with her kids and loves every minute of it.
Let’s be real though – there aren’t that many moms out there who can play Barbie dress up or dinosaurs for hours on end and think “this is great!” 🙄
This false belief lives in us anyway. And it drives us to play with our kids out of guilt rather than an actual desire. And when that happens, we are bound to get bored!
So what’s a mom to do? 🤷♀️
Well firstly we need to acknowledge that there are TONS of ways to connect with our kids besides play, and we are fantastic moms even if we don’t want to build that Lego tower for the 100th time.
And then we can try these tips to actually enjoy playing with our kids:
🩷 Limit your play time.
Give your kiddo your full attention for 20 minutes – and that’s it!
🩷 Play things YOU want to play.
Find games or ways to play that you genuinely think are fun. Your enthusiasm will radiate to your child and you both will have a better experience.
🩷 If you find yourself getting bored, practice mindfulness.
If you start to drift into thinking about your to-do list or counting down the minutes, pull yourself back by narrating in your head everything your kid is doing as if you’re describing the scene in a book! This will keep your mind occupied while still keeping your attention focused where you are.
💛 And last but not least – DROP THE GUILT! 💛
If you are committing to 20 minutes of dedicated, full attention play with your kid that both of you are enjoying, there is NO reason for you to feel guilty!
If you find yourself feeling any guilt, remember that there are tons of ways to be a good mom and connect with your kids, and play is just one of the many ways you are CRUSHING IT.
If you found this helpful and are interested in more mindset tools and tips for moms, be sure to ✨️FOLLOW✨️ me @iambaileemcclellan and ✨️SHARE✨️ this with your mom friends!
Go have fun playing, Mama! 😍
XO – Bailee