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AIBU?

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Original poster

...to HATE pretend play?!

198 replies

Randomname85 · 25/02/2021 12:00

Am I?! Tell me I’m not the only one. Any sort of ‘mummy you be this and I’ll be that’ - I cannot bear it! Baking, drawing, anything else but if I hear the words ‘mummy let’s play frozen/paw patrol/moana’ I can’t help but internally make this face 😖

I think lockdown has only exacerbated my hatred of it.

OP posts:
Powerof4 · 25/02/2021 18:02

Dd age 3 used to be obsessed with pretending I was a bin lorry driver and she was a piece of rubbish that kept escaping. I would have to chase and catch her, then return her to the bin lorry (sofa) for more driving to the tip. It was like being stuck in some kind of never ending loop.

MagdasMadHouse · 25/02/2021 18:05

I am really shit at pretend play. I've always been creative and got a great imagination, yet I still find it stressful. I would rather get the art stuff out or do some dancing or go to the park... actually I think I would rather clean the bog than play make believe one more time!

NoIDontWatchLoveIsland · 25/02/2021 18:14

At the age when this is prevalent imho they need people to pretend play with them.... other 3/4 year olds!

NotAnotherUserNumber · 25/02/2021 18:40

@Powerof4

Dd age 3 used to be obsessed with pretending I was a bin lorry driver and she was a piece of rubbish that kept escaping. I would have to chase and catch her, then return her to the bin lorry (sofa) for more driving to the tip. It was like being stuck in some kind of never ending loop.
That sounds hilarious. She is very imaginative. I would have been tempted to (gently) shake her around between two cushions so that she was crushed up in the machine and couldn’t escape, or just cuddle her and say I was a bin bag 😂
Livpool · 25/02/2021 19:29

I hate it too.

DS is 5 and loves all things superheroes so he runs round the house kicking and getting baddies. I am allowed to be the worst one and then just stand there 'looking for bad guys'.

I always get told off for missing some!

ArabellaScott · 25/02/2021 21:48

@tulippa

I quite enjoyed playing 'Let's all pretend to be asleep' when DCs were younger!
They always give you about four seconds of fake snoring before it's 'time to wake up'. It's a shite nap.
MargaretThursday · 25/02/2021 22:00

@Powerof4

Dd age 3 used to be obsessed with pretending I was a bin lorry driver and she was a piece of rubbish that kept escaping. I would have to chase and catch her, then return her to the bin lorry (sofa) for more driving to the tip. It was like being stuck in some kind of never ending loop.
I used to be a piece of washing blown off the line. Strangely dm never wanted to play it as often as I did Grin
Cockenspiel · 25/02/2021 22:04

shudder ‘imaginary’ play.

Lolastarsandstripe · 25/02/2021 22:07

Oh yes, I find it so frustrating, especially as I have other stuff to be doing (housework, homeschooling, work work). I always set a 15 minute timer on it! He’s just went back to school thank goodness.

Hmm1234 · 26/02/2021 17:27

Oh no! I thought that was the best part of having children! I have a newborn and looking forward to playing Lego with him lol

Beverley71 · 26/02/2021 17:37

I’m with you, I hate it, especially after 6 hours of supervising online learning which really could have been squeezed into 2 hours

MrsBizzyBody · 26/02/2021 17:39

Ha I have a drama degree but find it painful and I always get it wrong. "No Mummy not like that," Even when I have studied the character (yes - I mean you Pikachu- How wrong can you go shouting the occasional Pika!) I thought there would be some creative freedom but not in this improv show. Ah, there are too many things to feel guilty about.

zoemum2006 · 26/02/2021 18:05

100%

I love playing with my children - I'll jump on a trampoline, play a board game and colour in a picture but 'pretend play' for longer than 10 minutes has always made me lose the will to live.

speakout · 26/02/2021 18:14

*zoemum
100%

I love playing with my children - I'll jump on a trampoline, play a board game and colour in a picture but 'pretend play' for longer than 10 minutes has always made me lose the will to live.*

Exactly- and you sound like a brilliant mother, but like you imaginary play leaves me brain dead.

Mummadeze · 26/02/2021 18:17

I like doing pretend play but hate doing crafts of any type! I would rather do make believe than make something real which is sad because my DD loves arts and crafts. It is good now she is older and can do them without my input.

speakout · 26/02/2021 18:17

MrsBizzy
Ha I have a drama degree but find it painful and I always get it wrong. "No Mummy not like that," Even when I have studied the character (yes - I mean you Pikachu- How wrong can you go shouting the occasional Pika!) I thought there would be some creative freedom but not in this improv show. Ah, there are too many things to feel guilty about.

I feel you. So many constraints- "no squirrel never hides", " the pumkin hates hats", "Mrs Marion can't hop" no room for artistic freedom, that 's the problem!

queenbee72 · 26/02/2021 18:29

I LOVE doing this!! However I used to be an actor so my kids get a little freaked how much of a different character I am. 😂😂. I definitely pretend I’m up for an audition.

Localocal · 26/02/2021 18:40

I am SO WITH YOU on this. I will make or teach anything, sing, dance, play any kind of board game, but pretend play leaves me cold.

Zerrin13 · 26/02/2021 19:06

I spent many agonisingly dull afternoons being a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle

GameSetMatch · 26/02/2021 19:07

I’m usually an Mummy emu at the zoo, I hate it, I want to be the polar bear or even the tiger but I always have to be the sodding mummy emu! I hate pretend play!

Hangingover · 26/02/2021 19:13

This thread has brought back a vivid memory of me being unaccountably furious with DM for not actually eating the plastic toy breakfast I made for her each morning when I was a wee one Grin

KAT0779 · 26/02/2021 19:32

I am so relieved to read this. I feel awful when my daughter wants me to play things like this cos I thought it must be normal to want to. I love spending time with her but really hate playing with toys like this, I make the effort as much as I can as she is spending far too much time on her iPad/watching TV whilst I am working from home but as others have said it’s just so boring!

KAT0779 · 26/02/2021 19:37

@Hmm1234 you’ll probably be fine playing with Lego, building things etc, it’s the playing with dolls/paw patrol figures etc and pretending to be the characters that’s mind numbing, and I feel awful saying that, I’m so glad I’m not the only one x

expatinspain · 26/02/2021 19:45

I never really did it with DD, apart from hairdressers or makeovers. That's what her mates were for. We had plenty of play dates and sleepovers for this very reason. I loved going on walks. bike rides, to the playground, watching films, dancing with her, fave painting, crafts etc, but imaginative play, no, because I'm not a child. It feels so forced for most adults. It's also good for kids to use their imaginations and play independently too. I don't feel bad at all for not doing it.

kennycat · 26/02/2021 21:01

I absolutely hate it. In fact I hate playing generally. It is a relatively new concept that parents should play with their children I think. Neither me or my husband recall our parents playing with us! When required for a role play game I usually find a very important job around the house I need to do right then. I'm so mean! My children are very bright and excellent at entertaining themselves though so I don't feel like I've done them that much of a disservice...

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