Wow that title came across as a it harsh- never meant to sound like a bitch!
So I have a 12 year old who does her own thing and a nearly 4 year old. I’m a single mum. Today I feel like I’ve non stop played with her. I’ve painted pictures with her. Drawed with her. Played dollies with her and then painted again. I just feel exhausted because all day ive been listening to the words ‘mum, mum, mum’ and I feel like I need a 5 minute breather. I love my kids so much but does anyone else feel like their littlest ones are on their case all day? I have tried my very best to entertain and her and play with her and right now I’ve taken 5 mins to come on mumsnet and all I’ve got is ‘mum, mum, mum’ in my ear still. Is it just me being mean or do any other mums feel like this sometimes?
AIBU?
Do any of you get sick and tired of playing with your children?
SilverGlitterSparkle · 15/12/2019 19:01
Am I being unreasonable?
AIBUYou have one vote. All votes are anonymous.
In afraid I've just never really done this. Am I a terrible parent? 
. The occasional pretending to drink a cup of tea or eat a wooden pizza slice is as far as it goes. I would set up crafts and lots of role play toys available but didn't actually join in.
We spent a lot of time outside and meeting up with others. I far prefer a coffee and a chat while DC play with someone their own age who actually likes it. They are both at school now. It will get easier then OP.
It depends a lot on the child's personality though, I was an only child and would play on my own for ages. DS really doesn't need his own space and would happily be with someone 24/7 and even if I'm not actively interacting with him, he'll want to snuggle or sit on my lap 
.
It is worth the 2 yr age gap and sibling squabbling to avoid this... I think... 
The worst stage was when DS1 was 4 (so DS2 was 2 and a bit young for him) and I dreaded the words "play with me!". He'd have a vision of exactly how to play in his head, that I invariably could not telepathically match, so he'd throw a "tantrum", but he'd still have the concept of me playing with him in his head and I wasn't allowed to not play with him either... until I cracked, threw a tantrum too and stropped off
It turns out that that was his ASD at play. He struggled with other children too and didn't really crack playing WITH children rather than alongside until about 5-6. It's still a skill he can struggle with.
I can do structured games like battle ships, frustration as long as the rules are respected.
I can do outdoor play.
I chat to them.
I endure hours of minecraft/ weapons of WW2 based discussion.
I had halcyon dreams of crafting with my precious darlings and I used to love craft... but the reality of 5 minutes setting up, 30 seconds crafting, 3 minutes body painting and 30 minutes bathing children and cleaning up a zone of post-apocalyptic proportions was more than I could endure.
They do get a lot from me (or Scouting. Scouting is amazing for redressing my shortfalls ), but they do get the space of independent play too, and that is a very important skill.
Until the last couple of decades, most of the time children would have been turfed out into the street to play anyway. There never was an expectation of mothers (because let's face it, it is mothers and not daddy who had a long day at work and just needs to come in for a bit of a rumpus at the end, and play a bit of football at the weekend 
) to play and constantly entertain the children anyway.
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