Julie Stauffer

Hi Joanne,

You post that you don't necessarily play directly with your children very
often. I am often the same. I think a lot of it has to do with the ages of
your kids and how many you have. When we only had Adriane, I played with
her for hours and hours every day (of course, I also tended to treat her
like a trained seal, showing off her little tricks). With Zach, I played
imaginary baseball (no real ball so nobody has to shag) daily.

Now with the 3 additional little guys, I am more of the janitor/resource
person. I am usually busy cleaning up from lunch, finding lost Barbie
shoes, wiping up spilled milk, changing diapers, chasing rogue dogs, etc..
I am available on the fly for questions, short play periods, newest jokes,
mediation, etc.. The kids know that whatever I'm doing comes to a
screeching halt if they really need me for something, but mostly they are in
charge with the older ones often leading the younger ones.

Julie

joanna514

--- In AlwaysLearning@y..., "Julie Stauffer" <jnjstau@g...> wrote:
> Hi Joanne,
>
> You post that you don't necessarily play directly with your
children very
> often. I am often the same. I think a lot of it has to do with
the ages of
> your kids and how many you have. When we only had Adriane, I
played with
> her for hours and hours every day (of course, I also tended to
treat her
> like a trained seal, showing off her little tricks). With Zach, I
played
> imaginary baseball (no real ball so nobody has to shag) daily.
>
> Now with the 3 additional little guys, I am more of the
janitor/resource
> person. I am usually busy cleaning up from lunch, finding lost
Barbie
> shoes, wiping up spilled milk, changing diapers, chasing rogue
dogs, etc..
> I am available on the fly for questions, short play periods, newest
jokes,
> mediation, etc.. The kids know that whatever I'm doing comes to a
> screeching halt if they really need me for something, but mostly
they are in
> charge with the older ones often leading the younger ones.
>
> Julie

joanna514

Thanks Julie.
I think you are right about the age and # of kids. I feel like I'm
doing a lot for/with them all day long, and at the same time getting
absolutely nothing done!
Well, we're leaving for an 8 day stay at my parents house in FL next
week, and my parents are going to be in Hawaii!(we're house sitting).
That is going to be sooo cool. They are very close to a science
museum and zoo, and there is a playmobile store where kids can play
with all the stuff in a big room, there are fountains that kids can
run through, right next to the huge public library, the beach and the
pool in my parents backyard.
My dh isn't going, and I'm really looking forward to just hanging out
with the kids.
Joanna


--- In AlwaysLearning@y..., "Julie Stauffer" <jnjstau@g...> wrote:
> Hi Joanne,
>
> You post that you don't necessarily play directly with your
children very
> often. I am often the same. I think a lot of it has to do with
the ages of
> your kids and how many you have. When we only had Adriane, I
played with
> her for hours and hours every day (of course, I also tended to
treat her
> like a trained seal, showing off her little tricks). With Zach, I
played
> imaginary baseball (no real ball so nobody has to shag) daily.
>
> Now with the 3 additional little guys, I am more of the
janitor/resource
> person. I am usually busy cleaning up from lunch, finding lost
Barbie
> shoes, wiping up spilled milk, changing diapers, chasing rogue
dogs, etc..
> I am available on the fly for questions, short play periods, newest
jokes,
> mediation, etc.. The kids know that whatever I'm doing comes to a
> screeching halt if they really need me for something, but mostly
they are in
> charge with the older ones often leading the younger ones.
>
> Julie