Letter From A Broad, Now What? Edition

Dear SAHMs,

I have a question for you:  Just what, exactly, am I supposed to do with these kids all day, anyway?

It's quarter to nine in the morning.  They've breakfasted, dressed, watched some PBS Kids, tattled on each other, looked at books, showed me their new skills (turning lamps on!  petting the cat!), sang songs, and run around like heathens and we have the whooooooole rest of the day to get through.  It's been raining for the past forty days and forty nights, so the ground squishes when you walk on it and the mosquitoes are as big as hovercraft.  So much for playing outside.  Neither girl can swim, the local pool is over their heads at its shallowest point, and they're too big for me to hold both of them at once anymore.  So much for swimming.  Any other ideas, loyal readers???

With apologies to Toasty, I can't comprehend the whole I-want-to-be-there-for-every-minute-of-their-childhood philosophy.  There are trained professionals out there who are much, much better at early childhood development than yours truly, and hey, we all gotta make a living, right?  I know I need to get my act together and make a calendar of playdates and little-kid events and excursions, but truth be told, I just don't damn well feel like it right now.  My entire professional career is predicated upon thinking up things for kids to do.  Now I have to do the same thing WITHOUT getting paid for it, all summer long, for two little people who seem to find my efforts only partially satisfactory at best.  Great. 

Is there a book out there titled, What To Do With Your Little Kids When You're Bored Out of Your Mind?  Because if there is, I'd buy it.

Sincerely,

SP

Comments

[madge]

We'd all suffer if it was all-Mommy, all-the-time around here.

[Pam]

I know there's a magazine called "Family Fun" that has activities and arts and crafts but again it requires a lot of work and adult supervision. I know your pain...I've been there and felt the same way you do - if I wanted to entertain pre-schoolers or elementary age kids, I would be teaching that age group!! I like the "go to your room and play and don't come out unless someone is bleeding" approach... :) Good Luck!

[Joanne]

Medical experiments for the lot of 'em

[Carrie]

I hate Family Fun magazine *lol*. But probably because it replaced my Wondertime subscription when they folded so I'm bitter.

Get life jackets for the girls and take them swimming that way. Erik has been in a life jacket and on his own since he was 18 months, so I bet your girls would love it.

There are books like that. They have them in the Parent Teacer resource shelf at our local library.

What do we do all day? GO INSANE! I have to have my hour at the gym. I don't know what we would do if we couldn't go outside. Maybe help them make a fort in the dining room with the blankets and stuff? Have them pretend they are camping. Tell them they have to hide from the grizzly bear, then growl if they come near you.

Playdough is good for hours of fun around these parts.

We watch way more TV tan should be allowed.

[SWH]

Ok Miss "I used to teach swimming at Weeble Beach" - why isn't India taking swimming lessons? Otherwise I'm outta suggestions - I'm trying to entertain myself - other than spraying mildew-y things...

[Cindy]

I also made tents on rainy days with blankets and chairs. We would watch a movie from the tent.
Water color painting is fun too!!

[Jen Ramsay]

When my boys were little and I suffered the same ennui as you are currently experiencing, I went to that old staple - the golden arches. For the price of a vanilla ice cream cone or a happy meal, we had hours to climb around in the fun, if slightly unsanitary, McDonald's playhouse on Route 1 in Portsmouth. Sure, its a germ factory, but its dry and there are very few mosquitoes. Burger King used to have a ball/saliva pit that was good for 45 minutes or so. Granted, these were boys who didn't care about things like hygiene, but still, it saved my sanity until nap time.

[Robin, a.k.a Toasty]

Maybe I'll write the book so I can stay home... Just kidding! Staying home with them is HARD!! I just fear missing this time of their lives too much. Today I practiced not yelling. Nina had two meltdowns. Tori was Tori. Good times.

[Dee]

Hey -

How about free movies on Tuesdays and Wednesdays starting TODAY?! Check these out:
http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20090621-ENTERTAIN-90621016