Am I a bad mum

[Lollypop1241]

Does anyone else struggle to play with their 13 month old my little boy will play with his toys but I find it hard engaging with him and playing with him am I a bad mum for this

I find it so boring and tedious but I know it's important and I love making him laugh. You don't have to engage constantly, can you find some easy things you can do? A game of peekaboo? A bath and pour water and splash together? Cook dinner and narrate what you're doing? Go to the park? I don't think any adult really massively loves this stuff BTW so you're not a terrible parent for not living it either.

I want to play with him and join in with what he's doing I think because he doesn't talk much (I don't expect him to at this age) I find it really hard playing with him

No, you're not a bad mum. Lots of adults find playing with young children boring. Let's face it, adults don't play with toys, it's not our thing.

But, for young children, it's important for their development that they interact with parents and other trusted adults.

Try factoring in daily activities such as walks, where you are pointing out things along the route, or if it's fine, a walk to a park where you can sit baby on a rug and give him some toys?

Even getting him dressed can be an activity, with you telling him the names of the clothes as you dress him.

Cloth books are a good idea too, where he can engage in trying to turn the pages while you talk about the pictures.

Or mum and toddler groups where the activities are organized, and you both join in.

Absolutely hated it with a passion. DH could do it so well but it just wasn't my thing at all. I always just tried to let DD play independently with toys & I would be more hands on to bake with her, read, craft & drawing activities, board games that sort of thing.

She's almost 9 now & the most confident, social little thing so please don't worry.

I hated it too. Doesn't make you a bad mum. I preferred going to toddler groups, taking him to the park etc so there were different things for him to do.

No I don’t think you’re a bad mum. Child’s play can be boring for adults! Everyone’s different too, my partner is good at all the rough and tumble, being silly with the kids. I like teaching them more, doing creative things ( they’re toddlers)

No, you’re not a bad mum. There’s only so many building block towers you can build before you start to go a bit stir crazy.
Do you enjoy doing other things with your dc? Going for a walk, feeding the ducks, pushing dc on a swing, that sort of thing. They do get a bit more interesting in their play, hang in there.