I currently work 2 days a week and spend the rest of the week home with my kids. My daughter just started kindergarten and my son is almost 3y. I usually do some sort of activity on my days off, such as play date, go to the park, etc. There are some days that I just need to stay home and clean, etc. I feel so guilty for not taking them to do something, but on the other hand, our house is FULL of toys. I feel that one or both should be able to just play at home as well. Any thoughts?
Boredom breeds creativity
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It's good/healthy for kids to
a) see normal life
b) learn how to DO normal life/ participate in it
c) that their parents are not entertainment machines
d) learn how to think for themselves
e) the list just goes on and on and on...
It is good for kids to be 'bored.'
You do not always have to 'entertain' kids.
They need to learn on their own too.
I tell my kids "Its good being bored. Use your brains, think of something...." and they do.
They learn self-reliance that way, creativity, and problem solving.
Quiet time, just being at home doing "nothing" is IMPORTANT for all of us. and especially for kids who need to learn independence and decision making and the joy of discovering themselves and enjoying their own thoughts and company. Over planning keeps them from learning these skills and appreciating just being still.
Absolutely. It's good for them to have play time where they play on their own or with each other. And down time is good too. The world says that we have to have our kids enrolled in everything. In my opinion kids are way too busy. Let them play. It's really good for them to use their imagination and creativity. It stimulates their minds.
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I try to get my son out at least once a day for MY sanity when he's not in school but on school days that's MORE than enough activity for both of us.
In the winter we stay in and some days I don't even bother to get dressed.
You should not feel guilty.. Most times kids like just being home.. They do not need to be entertained all of the time.. Let them make up their own entertainment.
It's all about finding the right balance. Kids need a combination of activities and social interaction. Yes, it's ok to just stay home and enjoy some down time.
Agreed. Sometimes a room full of toys is even over stimulating. Think back to basics if they are pestering you ("i'm bored") My son is only 16 months old and we have always been conscious over overstimulating. At his age thus far we mostly try to limit the number of toys that sing/move etc (basically anything with batteries.)
My kids loved days where we didn't have to go anywhere.
Even just cooking and cleaning days could be fun. We'd put music on and dance around while we did other things.
I live where we get really crappy weather, ESPECIALLY in the summertime.
Some days, I'd build a fire and get it up to about 90 degrees in the house and we'd run around in our shorts and bathing suits and pretend it was hot outside.
We always had music of some kind and we'd make a picnic in the living room for lunch. Or, I'd let the kids make a fort under the dining room table.
We'd do the same thing in the winter when it was too yucky to go out.
There were always errands or shopping or daycare or something that we had to be gone for and going places is great, but home is always where the heart is.
I think we do a disservice to our kids if we feel they can only have fun if they are going somewhere.
Just my opinion.
Sometimes just stay home. Enjoying down time or family time is good for everybody sometimes.
We don't go out every day. When it's nice we try to at least take a walk every day, and my husband takes the girls to the park a few times a week...we go for bike rides, swim, etc...but that's the summer.
During the winter, we pretty much hibernate, besides sledding.
You ought to let your children play at home, independently, or you will end up with children who constantly complain "Mom, I'm bored!!" The summer to winter transition is becoming hard for my six year old...she goes through a few weeks where she "thinks" she is bored until she remembers all the things she likes to do inside.
It is fine to allow a 3 year old to entertain himself...not for hours on end - but for a while....
If you have a house full of toys - I would gather them up and put them in bins in the attic or a storage room and every three months or so - cycle them through.
Kids don't need a million toys...nor do they need a houseful...a dozen fun ones and then cycle them...less for you to clean up and more "fun" for them as they are getting "new" toys...
Children don't need to go out everyday, my kids played in our backyard, so they didn'ty need the park, the park is something we did as a family for birthdaysd, picnic's and bar b q's. don't feel guilty. You have to clean sometime. J.
