How much time do you play with them?

Just wondering how much time you actually sit and play with your kids? I feel like I'm in the room way too much so of course nothing gets done. I don't play with them the whole time sometimes its just watching so lately I get up and do some dishes and stuff but of course they follow me...which is fine I just talk to them the whole time but then I feel guilty sometimes having them follow me around to "help" me put laundry away and do dishes and stuff.

What about you?

 

i certainly don't play with them nearly as much as i should, i guess it's a good thing they have each other. but i'm a single mom, work full time night shift, and go to school full time, so i'm doing the best i can to be there for them more later.

 

Well, I work FT outside the home, so I certainly can't play with my boys during the day! When I get home, I have to get dinner ready, change clothes, eat, clean up, etc. Then I usually dedicate the rest of the night until they go to bed to "boy time". But that's only really about an hour a night. ardon: On the weekends it's more, but my guys are getting better and better about independent play, so I want to encourage that. I feel more and more comfortable about doing other stuff while they're playing, because their play area is pretty well baby-proofed, if they need me they will find me. I have a very open floor-plan, so I'm never more than a few steps away.

I think it's good to let them follow you around while you do chores. It helps them learn real-life skills, and maybe they'll get interested enough that they'll want to empty the dishwasher someday (I can dream, right?)! :lol:

 

I play when I can, but I also let them play or "help" when I am trying to get something accomplished - which we all know is difficult with 2 toddlers. But I have a play drawer in the kitchen, I give them wisks, big spoons, pots, salad spinner- whatever so they can play cook next to me. They like to help put things away - though not as I would have done it. These are all important life skills and exactly what toddlers want to do - whatever you or DH or older sibling is doing. I bought my boys a kid broom so they could "help" sweep. They love it.

 

when i'm home during the day, i play with them as needed - usually they make it pretty clear when they want some mom time. otherwise i let them help out, or do their own thing.

 

I always considered that having them "help" me, was playing with them :FIFblush: ! If you are talking straight on the floor, playing with puzzles, reading, stacking blocks, etc. - probably only about 30-45 minutes a day honestly. I like that they play independently and with each other, though, so I try to stay out of the way whenever possible!

 

For them "helping" you is playing... and they are also learning. I play with them off and on, mostly in the afteroons is playtime...depends on what we are doing. I just know that they observe everything.. for ex... I always put the bathmat up after I give them a bath and now my ds started putting the bathmat up after I finish dressing him (on the floor).

 

I agree with all the other pp's I would let mine follow me around. Mine still LOVE their playroom and play in it all morning and then for an hour or 2 after nap. Then they have full reign of the downstairs and that's when I "play" with them the most. We pull out the crayons or finger paints.

 

I'm in school during the day so I'm not around as much but my husband is a stay at home dad and he is with them allllll day. I mean they don't let him out of their sight. He sits on the floor and plays with them part of the day and watches them for the rest but we live in an apt so there isn't a designated "playroom" for them and they love to climb onto the couch. It's not safe for them to be unsupervised. (True it was my idea to take away the superyard that was blocking the couch- I thought they needed to learn how to sit on one.) If he goes into the kitchen they will follow him- if they're bored they'll come back into the living room otherwise they'll stay with him.

 

This sounds like my house, although I'm only at work 2 days a week, so my kids get two parents 5 days a week. We play with them a lot, probably 3-4 hours a day. My kids are constantly being engaged by an adult (I blame their Dad for that :laughing: .). By the time you add 2-3 hours for meals and 1-2 hours of videos, that's about their whole day. The rest of the time they are sleeping.

I'd like them to play more on their own, and I'm convinced if I was the one taking care of them that would happen.

 

My two usually let me know what they want me and DH involved in their playing, they don't really want us around as much as we'd like to be. I would say on a good day between 2-3 hours. Mine are also fascinated with chores, so that is a lot of our playing.

 

I agree that letting them follow you around is good for them! Playing and learning at the same time.
For me, play time with my boys is very off and on throughout the day. They have short attention spans so that works out well. E.g. after breakfast, they play on their own in the baby-proofed living room while I clean up the kitchen. Then I might come in and read them a couple books. Then they get distracted and each wander off to play with a different toy. I go refill my coffee. Honestly I take a while to wake up in the morning so if they're playing well on their own, I might get out my laptop and get online while drinking my coffee. they'll periodically come over to show me something or even sit next to me playing with a toy, then back to more interactive play, etc.

 

I have my LOs in the mornings (they´re at nursery in the afternoons when I work) and we´re together all the time. However, I encourage them to play independently as much as possible and am able to get some basic jobs done like emptying the dishwasher. Mine also follow me around and I took advantage today and got them to help me sort out the clean laundry! LOL! I tend to get down and play with them if they get bored or if they start fighting but Im often in the same room as them too as they´re at that age when they get frustrated easily at hte slightest thing! They often bring me a book or something to read. What you´re doing sounds just fine!

 

fifteen minutes here, 20 minutes there...I'm never in the room with them all day. I believe that independent play is really important for them later in life (especially when we put them in preschool). Most of the time I feel really bad for not playing with them all day long, but they're content playing by themselves so I don't mess with that AT ALL. lol

 

I have better days, but I do spend a few hours with my boys sporadically throughout the day. My husband does get in and play with them as well a little less, but as often as he can. Some days, I don't spend as much time with them as they are very content to play with each other. Some days are harder cause they just want to get out of the house, and I can't always do that . They do have their gym class once a week, and sometimes I let them go to their gym's drop-in center for a little while, so that helps them stay busy at least during that time.