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Mom Confessions: I Use Housecleaning to Avoid Playing With My Kids
August 14, 2009 at 11:00 AM by Cafe Sheri - Comments (9)
It's time for a Mom Confession — because, let's face it, we're real mothers and sometimes it doesn't work the way the parenting books say it should.
This Week's Confession:
I use housecleaning to avoid playing with my kids.
I'm a stay-at-home mom, and I realized the other day that I'm using housecleaning and chores to avoid sitting down and playing with my kids. I'm just not much into playing or doing puzzles, so I find them things to keep them busy and then go busy myself with the things I need to get done around the house. Even when I set out to play with them, I find myself feeling drawn to do the dishes a few minutes in. What's wrong with me? -- anonymous
Poll
Question: Do you use housecleaning to avoid playing with your kid(s)?
Total Votes: 101
We all have secrets and opinions — so thanks to this brave mom for sharing her honest thoughts, and thank you for keeping this conversation non-judgemental!
Past Confessions:
I Don't Set Up Play Dates for My Kids
I Wish I Had a Fulfilling Career Outside the Home
I Use My Kid's Flushable Toilet Wipes
I'm Going to Disney Without My Children
I Hate Reading Children's Books
I Let My Toddler Play Outside Alone
I Turn My Kids Over to A Mom I Just Met
My Toddler Wears Crude T-Shirts
I Let My Toddlers Climb Play Equipment Unassisted
My Kids Go to Sleep After Midnight
I Let My Toddlers Go Naked in Public
I Paid $22 for My Son's Haircut
My Toddlers Eat Pizza for Breakfast
I Leave My Toddler Alone in the Bath
Our Children Aren't Invited to Our Wedding
I'm on Vacation, But My Kid Is Still Going to Day Care
I Let My Toddler Eat Food Before Paying for It
I Find Excuses to Send My Kids to Bed Early
FILED UNDER: confessions
Comments:
LOL sometimes I use them as an excuse not to clean and other days I clean so that I don't have to play with them. It really all depends on my mood. Usually they win out, I can always clean tomorrow.
In the mornings I'm too comatose to play with my daughter, so I usually get the dishes done as well as cleaning in the kitchen. My daughter plays nearby. I'm just too tired to sit down with her to play. I'm not a morning person at all!!!
Some days I just want to clean the house because there isn't room for us to play. haha. and when its time to do that then i try to give my toddler small tasks he can accomplish and i can praise him for. :) I don't like to play inside very much...When we are outside i can play ball with him n run around the yard. i enjoy that.
I actually use playing to avoid chores mostly. But i also will use chores to avoid playing some days. Those days that all she does is chatter at me and repeats herself over and over and over! i HAVE to do something to keep myself from going nuts!
My house is clean when i wake up in the morning..i clean while they are sleeping at night..i wake up at 5 am work out shower and get ready for the day.....so then i make their breakfast and clean as i go...so my house is never dirty...i have all day to play with the kids...it only takes me 15 mins to clean my kitchen after supper
i admit i do this on occasion..don't get me wrong i will sit down and play dolls or kitchen with her if she realy wants me too... but honestly for the most part i just don't get the enjoyment of it that i used to... everyonce in awhile i will really enjoy this but 10x a day everyday sometimes i just want to do somethng myself.. i love my dd very much but sometimes i need time away from her... i'm a sahm and i have spent everyday from wake to sleep time with her for 3yrs and 7 months... somedays it's just really hard to play tea party!! i don't think there is anything wrong with this... as long as she knows i love her and she does..i don't see anything wrong with needing her to play by herself sometimes.. besides it helps create independence in her and that is a very good thing!
i almost always use my kids as an exscuse why the house isnt picked up. unless it really needs to be cleaned then i tell them to play in their room while i clean. i am a SAHM and i hate housework lol! but it needs to be done............someday lol! i love playing with my kids though! they make everything so interesting!
mine isn't that i don't want to play, it's that i can't quit cleaning. i don't dislike playing, i love playing with my daughter, but i just obsessively clean because if there is time for cleaning i figure there is time to clean clean clean.
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Ugh, I do this too. I'm okay with playing, but I always feel I need to get the chores done first. Thing is, they're never done. So I try hard to remember that my kids won't be little forever. The house work will always be there ... my kids won't.
Cafe Cynthia Aug. 14, 2009 at 12:06 PM