There are parenting tasks I'm good at, sometimes smugly so. I can talk the boys out of their bad dreams. I can handle sibling squabbles. I can be a stickler for politeness. I can sing songs and read books. I soothe boo-boos and give piggyback rides.
But there are other things that I am just flat-out bad at. Preschool games, for instance. Much like bathtime, playing games like Chutes and Ladders and Memory is one of those parenting things I thought would be wonderful and lovely, but in reality is dull and tedious. I have zero patience for these games. The kids grab and shove, scattering the pieces and my nerves. Their fumbling attempts to count spaces infuriate me as much as their gloating when they win and whining if they lose. I shout. I am sarcastic -- to my 4-year-old, who then says, "I'm just trying my best, Momma." And then I feel about two inches tall and have to apologize for my bad behavior. Five seconds later, I'm harping at him to JUST FOR THE LOVE OF GOD LISTEN. (The 2-year-old already has been banished from the game table for his own good.)
It's not pretty and I'm not proud. I'm trying to be better, but I'm also trying to find things we can do together other than these inane games. When I was in school, I did anything I could to avoid gym class. I was bad at athletics and got sick of the frustration -- for me and for my teachers and classmates. Ironically, one of the things I'd rather do with my boys now instead of these stupid board games is play ball outside. Or blow bubbles. Or draw with sidewalk chalk. Or play with cars. Or play with play-dough. Or draw pictures. Or build with blocks.
There are plenty of things I'm good at as a mom. Chutes and Ladders just isn't one of them.
Monday, April 30, 2012
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6 comments:
The board games drive me crazy. I bought Margaret memory last week and she's pretty good at it - when she plays. Mostly she wants to play with the matches she already has. Also, she's fine about only turning two cards when she's paying attention, but will start randomly flipping when distracted. By the end I was yelling. TAKE YOUR TURN!! Nooo - only TWO CARDS!
I hate pretend play. I despise it when Elizabeth hands me a doll and says "now, you be the prince/man/insert name here, Mama." I try to be as boring as possible so that she doesn't want me to play. (She always does anyway.) I far prefer to go somewhere, do something, read a book, go for a walk, etc. Just don't make me play toys.
And I hate board games too. So much so that I haven't bought her any yet really or taught her to play. (She thinks Candyland is a solitary game where the figures walk around on the board and talk to each other.) My only exception is puzzles. I like puzzles. And obviously, those are the only thing she ever wants to do alone.
I don't mind board games as much as I hate pretend play. I suck at it, esp when the little person I'm playing with dictates my every move.
I like to color, so of course, it isn't one of her favorite things.
Not a fan of board games either. It's kind of nice when they get old enough to play without you though!
My oldest two will even play Battleship for hours!
Well I loathe BOTH board games AND pretend play. I lose my mind when one of us falls down the giant chute and I know this game is going to go on foreeeeever.
I always wished that Ezra loved to do more crafts--play-doh and coloring and cutting with scissors and gluing whatnot.
It is looking like Iris is into those things and so I'm pretty excited.
THUMBS UP TO MARKERS!
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