Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Am I Raising a Couch Potato?

It is so funny, we moms just seem to fall into routines. For us there is a certain routine on the days I work, and a totally relaxed routine on the days we are home. Of course school days are super rushed and usually start with me dragging Emma from the bed, just in time to walk out the door. You might could say she is a late sleeper. The rub with routines is you don't really notice things that are not part of your everyday routine. Well that is until last night. When my husband got home, Emma was so excited to see him. She ran over to her Dora the Explorer House (actually it is a mansion! ) Anyway, she sat down and said, "Daddy play Dora".


The word I would like to focus on here is "play". I don't think in all my days has she ever said "mommy play". Hmmm, now I am no Sherlock Holmes, but I think there might be something here. So I began to review our routine in my head, and I realized we are always on the go, shopping, going to lunch, shopping, working, shopping, and shopping. Stop reading here if you can't handle a pity party.... I guess that made me sad. Most of the people who know me know I am struggling with chronic knee pain. I will save you the pitiful details, but I just can't do alot of the things I want to do! I think it seemed easier to just stay painfully busy than to stop and enjoy the silence. I can't get on the floor and play, much less take her to the park and play.I have grown afraid of doing the things I love the most.
End pity party-So I have decided I must do better. It all became clear as I laid her trying to sleep. I felt this calm presence and I heard these words "Live Simply". So this is my new motto. I love it. Just stop the time sucking activities and enjoy life. I need to recruit some friends to help me hit the parks and the pavement and get out there and make a change even if it is painful. Emma needs me to do it and I want to do it!

3 comments:

maribeth said...

call us. there are some days we get home just in time for dinner, bath & bedtime. on those days, i feel like the playroom is the least used room in our house. i am not able to do that much playing myself currently, so we could do it together. and, when it gets too cold, a group of us could rotate houses. kinda like the summer but with preschool on the days in between :)

Martin Family said...

I'm with you girl. Way to go. Change is hard. I think the saying goes after 21 days something becomes a habit.

Margaret said...

I am all for playdates during the cold winter months! Claire has even told me that since Owen was born she misses playing with me. I know how it goes.