To wonder how bad it is to spend the whole day slouching while th children entertain themselves?

[emkana]

Somehow it always makes me feel guilty, so hardly ever do it.

[pjmama]

Meh. It does them good to have to entertain themselves and everyone needs a lazy day once in a while.

[amiheartless]

I've only been guilty whilst ill lol

[cybilliberty]

Welcome to my world

[Onetoomanycornettos]

This is my Sunday, my only day when I don't have to get up before 7, get the full make-up on and get out of the house with children in tow (Sat is the same as Mon-Fri in our house as we do lots of activities). Sun is slob-out day, I love looking crap, eating nice food and letting the children actually have time to play together for a whole day (which they love). Who cares if they are in their pyjamas?! Best day of the week!

[CrapBag]

YABU (for hardly ever doing it).

They will be fine. Far too much energy to constantly entertain children, they are capable of amusing theirselves.

Enjoy a good slouch.

[spybear]

Especially if you have more than one it si good for them to play together and make up games

Why would you feel guilty about this?? It is really valuable

[emkana]

Phew

[Bucharest]

How old are the children?

If they are little, then possibly YABU. (but not that much, you deserve time off as well)

If they are over the age of about 4 I'd say YABU to be thinking about entertaining them anyway.

[SecretNutellaFix]

Call it free-play or some such term and tell people that you are encouraging self reliance and imagination

[piratecat]

lol cybilliberty!!

[gpage]

Type "idle parenting" into google. I am a great advocate of it myself. A journalist nicely summarised it:

Manifesto of the idle parent
We reject the idea that parenting requires hard work
We pledge to leave our children alone
That should mean that they leave us alone, too
We reject the rampant consumerism that invades children from the moment they are born
We read them poetry and fantastic stories without morals
We drink alcohol without guilt
We reject the inner Puritan
We fill the house with music and laughter
We don't waste money on family days out and holidays
We lie in bed for as long as possible
We try not to interfere
We push them into the garden and shut the door so that we can clean the house
We both work as little as possible, particularly when the kids are small
Time is more important than money
Happy mess is better than miserable tidiness
Down with school
We fill the house with music and merriment

[weegiemum]

YABU don't worry.

I am in my dressing gown.

Dh is still in bed (though am pretty sure he is sitting up there playing "Runescape").

DD1 and DS are "inventing Islands" - drawing pictures of "pirate islands" and inventing stories. they are 11 and 9.

DD2 (7) is playing outside with one of her friend who lives nearby.

My total contribution to childcare today has been to yell at them to have breakfast, encourage them to get dressed and put a chicken casserole in the slow cooker for tea.

I love Sunday!

[MissQue]

I LOVE that manifesto I'm currently sat on the laptop while my dd flits between her toys, laptop and dvds, she's happy as larry, I'm relaxed and we are rubbing along together nicely thank you very much! If she wants my interaction, she comes and gets it, otherwise I don't interfere. She's happy doing her own thing and having control of what she's doing so why should I barge in there and disrupt that?

[lazarusb]

Nobody needs constant interaction! Having some downtime to amuse themselves is invaluable. Gives me time to MN, do some Wii fit and think about which letters need to writen, catch up on my book etc. Enjoy - I think I'd feel more guilty if I didn't do this on a regular basis