Playtime Blues.

One of my biggest failings as a mother (what a way to start a post!) is that I'm really uncreative when it comes to playing with Jack. For a while I just sort of blamed it on his age - that he wasn't quite at the stage where we could really pretend play and also lacked the attention span to listen to a whole book (I LOVE reading out loud to kids). But then I'd watch my mom or Tim play with him and they seemed to be able to keep him entertained for long stretches of time - and have fun while doing so. My mom in particular is great at coming up with ways to involve Jack in what she's doing as well as just thinking up different games, all the while teaching him some life skill in the process. That's why we always joke that one day Jack will spend a day with my mom and he'll be able to read and write by the end of it.

But me? I run out of ideas really fast, if there are any ideas to begin with. That said, I've never pretended to be a "kid person" and by that I mean, someone who is great with children and can come up with all the fun games and ways of relating to them that really stimulates their imagination. Maybe I'm just not intentional enough - if I'm too distracted by house work or other plans I have for the day, it's harder for me to focus and set aside time just to play with Jack.

Or perhaps I overcomplicate things - a one and a half year old isn't exactly looking to play an elaborate game of trucks versus dinosaurs. He just wants to play... anything. And probably the same game over and over. But because I find games on repeat kind of boring (and playtime, after all, is all about me!) I tend to lose interest and want to move on to something else sooner than Jack does.

Outings, like the library, are always an easy way for both of us to feel entertained but since having the baby I've been cooped up in the house. I can't wait for the weather to warm up so that we can go for walks and take advantage of the outdoors (which Jack loves).

Ugh - anyways, this is me venting about sucking at the playtime thing and hoping I get better at it with time. Of course, not too far down the road Moses will be Jack's first-choice buddy and I'll be chopped liver. But in the meantime.... I need to smarten up and be a better playmate to this guy: