Alison says I should go for the mundane (maybe opening with my crying fit over the Civil Rights Movement isn't the best way to draw people in). How's this for mundane:
I find one of the more challenging parts of parenting is filling the time. Neither of the girls have anything going on this weekend--no Girl Scouts, or soccer, or parties, or sleepovers, or anything. Which means that I have to fill up 48 hours (minus the sleeping time, of course). What do we do? The Aquarium? The Children's Museum? Staples, sure, but do I really have to shell out cash every time I leave the house with my children? We could go to the park, but that's really not as much fun as one would hope. Cate can't really play with Frances because she's too small and I can't really play with Frances because I'm chasing behind Cate. We really need another kid(s) (and, ideally, another adult) to make the park a good time. There's always baking cookies or coloring or videos. heh.
The problem here, clearly, is I lack imagination. There are other mommies out there right now, I'm sure, who are planning fabulous, entertaining, educational, economical weekend activities, while I sit here thinking none of this would be a problem for my own mother who gave me a book of logic puzzles and a sandwich and fully expected me to entertain myself.
4 comments:
well, that's pretty mundane. but anyway, for good or bad, when i was a kid i almost never got bored. even when i couldn't go outside to play. i made spaceships out of kitchen chairs, i played for hours on end with lego blocks. i loved coloring books. hell, i even read books.
maybe being an entertaining mom isn't about production value or a full pocketbook--maybe it's just about the nerve to let francis get bored enough to make up her own fun?
oh, and after i was ten i would play music four and five hours a day.
why do you think other people schedule their kids so much -- no one has any idea how to fill the time. I always figured that learning how to read would be the answer -- once that happens everyone will retire to their rooms with a novel of his or her choice. On the other hand I remember a lot of weekends spent: raking leaves, shovelling snow or being tormented by my siblings. I also remember childhood being somewhat dull. that doesn;t strike me as the worst thing in the world. maybe we should be raising our kids to realize how much more fun it is to be an adult (minues having to cook and.....taking care of children). Hmmm mundane, and a bit bitter.
Claire and Walter--you both make sense of course. There's a lot to be said for boredom, for having to figure out how to entertain yourself, but there's all the whining that's come before you actually entertain yourself. Can't she play sapceship or ponies or samurai without the whining prelude?
She's just starting to read independently, so we can always hope that will help. And she doesn't yet know how to play an instrument, but she will spend a great deal of time pretending to play her Roy Rogers guitar. So, it's not all dreadful here.
Hi Conseula. We met last Saturday at Alison's house. I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed your "Eyes on the Prize" post. I hope you and the girls had a good Saturday, and now that I know where you blog I'll keep reading. Maybe I'll see you again the next time I'm in town.
Best,
Catherine
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