Nice things to do with kids

[niceglasses]

Slightly sort of following on from another thread.

I have thought for a wee while I have become a bit lost in my parenting. I've forgotten how to play with them, how to connect in some way. I'm sorry if this sounds poncey tosh. Its just all my interaction with them seems to be negative, or a lot of it. Get this, do that, put that on, blah blah. We do do nice things, but a lot of it is going out...for a meal, horseriding, shopping. I think I have let 'doing something' take the place of playing with them/being with them.

I could use some simple ideas for things your kids enjoy. Mine are 2 boys 7 and 5 and a girl 3. I know when they come in from schl I let them watch too much TV (tho I usually turn it off after tea) and the computer.

I'm not that crafty/arty but I'll have a go. I think I have to learn to enjoy it.

Its all making me feel like a bit of a crap parent (that and some other things mentioned on the other thread).

Thanks.

actually you may be right about needing one to one attention with under fives - there is a 5 and a half year gap between my two sons so we have never come up against that problem.

I went swimming straight after schl today and she let me in with my 3 - aged 7 5 and 3, so maybe now that 2 of them are 5 are over its okay?

Anyway, felt better for having done SOMETHING with them. Could make the tea whilst they watched TV without feeling guilty.

And of course they were mega hungry. Clean plates all round...smugness abounds.

How do you feel about cooking with kids?

It dawned on me recently that the only person who is likely to teach my kids to cook is me. Having discussed what Food Science actually consists of with the parent of a 14 year old, I realise there is no point relying on school.

So I'm trying to involve them in cooking a bit more, rather than chase them out of the kitchen. Which also turns out to be a good activity for doing things together and chatting about our days.

But I do know what you mean. The other day, DD2 pulled a face at me and I laughed out loud. And then I realised that it was the first time I had actually made eye contact with her for hours - too busy doing housework, desk work etc and not really paying much attention to what she was up to as long as she seemed happy

Glad you had a nice time at the swimming pool and the attendent let you all in. I find swimming's a good thing to do together on lots of levels, and its benefits last after it finishes - clean, hungry children ready to sleep

Now my sons are older and both can swim enough for me not to need to watch them, I swim lengths while they do their own thing - oldest sometimes joins me in swimming lengths too. So I get much needed exercise into the bargain.

I haven't always done this - I didn't take my sons swimming for a couple of years, then they begged me to go one day. I'd forgotten how good it made me feel.

Smithagain, your message struch a chord with me as I too forget to give my children real eye contact for hours on end - I find myself uttering orders and instructions without actually looking at my sons. When I think of all that eye contact I gave them as babies and toddlers, I wonder how things can change so much...

What about not having the telly on - it seems to make us all tired and lazy if we have it on after school.