We’ve all heard the saying “families that play together, stay together.” With my family, I’ve found this to be so true!
My husband and I have four little bundles-of-energy, aged six-and-under. Let’s just say, if we weren’t playing, we’d be slowly going insane!
As busy mums, we can often get bogged down in our daily routines of work, cooking, cleaning, and wiping noses and bottoms, and forget to remember the importance of play. This is where dads come in. They may never admit to it, but all men are still little boys inside. The facial hair, and suits and ties, are merely a façade. Give almost any man a soccer ball, a grassy field, several children, and a dog or two, and he’ll be in touch with his “inner-boy” in no time!
The Dad in your household may work long hours, but you can still help him carve out some playing time with the kids. Have the little ones fed and bathed before Dad comes home, so there’s still some time before bed to kick a ball, read a story, or just wrestle on the living room rug. The bonus is that this gives you some kiddie-free time to clean up the kitchen and do some prep for the next day. You’ll then be able to relax once the kids are in bed, for some of your own “play-time” with Dad!
Weekends can also be a great time to play and connect as a family. We try to keep our weekends free for fun activities, by scheduling in house and yard work through the week. Once Friday afternoon rolls around, we’re off to the beach or the nearby skate park.
If you’ve had a hectic week and still have mounds of washing and other cleaning jobs to be done on Saturday, send Dad and the kids out on their own adventure. They’ll have a great time, and with fewer distractions, you can get your to-do list done in half the time it would normally take.
By making time for play, you’ll see a great increase in laughter, fun, and connection in your family.
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