I am wondering if us parents too, are just as trapped?
I am a guilty parent, I hold my hands up, my children have a lot of toys and possessions, they don't have everything, but yes they have TOO much and not enough of My time!
I never had much growing up, though we sure used our imaginations and also on looking back, there was not a fraction of the variety of toys that are available today, anyone remember space hoppers, tiny tears dolls, it was a Sindy doll or Barbie, Lego and Mecano, oh dear am I showing my age?
We spent a lot of time outside, for there was nothing like the computer games you have now, the variety of trash television programs etc
Am I caught between what the children want and what they need!
I know you can't buy love, but if all the other children at school have certain items, isn't it cruel to not let my child have it too, or do we make a stand against peer pressure, commercialism, easy for me to say, for I won't be the child playing with all the others yet looking in from a outside position from not having the same!
I keep trying to have a clear out, sort all the toys, we do live in such a compact home, that needs must really, but now I can start to look at it in a different light, swapping toys for more of my time one to one, am thinking this I must do!
My children watch telly a fair amount, but also love being outside, the only problem being it just doesn't feel as safe to let them out of our sight, its easy for them to go and play indoors, whilst I am busy doing stuff, I mean they have a lot of toys to choose from don't they!
But what the reports are saying is the children are crying out for parents to spend more quality time specially outside with our children!
I have a neighbour with 2 children aged 8 & 10 years and its the first time this week I have noticed her playing with her children, they were all playing football and she was the goalie, that is something not noticed before, we have lived next door to each other for 7 years now!
I am just as bad in all honesty, I was dancing around the kitchen the other day, singing with my children, they looked totally bemused and loved it, so how come I don't do it more often and just set out to entertain my children myself, for its all possible!
In theory anything is possible within reason, but to set aside time solely for my children will be my goal, no rushing to answer the phone, no quick browse at the laptop, will start timing it, say 20 minutes on the floor/out in the garden and build the times up.
To get rid of half the toys would be so great, it would make us not feel half as cramped where we are and then having some space to play, the children will be happier for sure, but I must sneak the toys away, hoping they won't notice some going missing, now where to start..............
OH NO, the man in the Red suit with a beard is due at our home in December, must block the Chimney, lock the doors!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/8760558/Cycle-of-compulsive-consumerism-leaves-British-family-life-in-crisis-Unicef-study-finds.html
yes it made for sad reading, but do children not expect to be indulged and amused by adults constantly? My grandkids cannot amise them selves for more than 5 mins out the back door, they come in "bored" despite the skipping ropes, balls, sacks, games etc thay take with them.
ReplyDeleteMy parents never spent all day very day playing with us, as a fammily we made our own entertainment and sat and played board games, didnt need an adult constantly telling us "well done" "that was good" we managed fine wiothout adults and dint grow up feeling unloved, neglected or needing to turn to crime beacuse of it. I personally feel kids are 2 indulged these days and that os half their problem
intresting post, I do agree children love to spend time with parents obviously and yes there are just too many toys (just the other day we gave huge amounts to a friend setting up as a childminder, and still have too many ;/) but I also agree with supergran when my children were younger I spent so much time with them, constantly pouring my attention on them, always outside along side them, running playing jumping on the trampoline and they obviously all loved it, but as they grew older i started to notice a reaccuring problem... they could not entertain themselves without me :/ so to be honest i stepped back, i pushed them to play together, to go and entertain themselves.. yes i do still g out with them, but i try and encourage them to play alone, my eldest will be 10 soon, I remmeber being 10 and I sure don't remmeber my mum 'playing' with us all the time, no I remmeber earning my own way, playing with my sister and friends without a parent behind us telling us how to act, made us learn that if your mean your friends cry, if your nice you have fun... and i think with so much watchign over our children we're in risk of them never learning such useful lessons for themselves.
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