Do you PLAY with your kids?

[Beekissed]

My mom had 9 kids and a very domineering husband who demanded a very clean house.....can you imagine? All she got done was cooking, cleaning, laundry and pampering that man! One day she told me she wished she had played more games with her kids.....just board games and card games and such. Now, everytime my kids and I get together with Grandma, she insists on playing cards! She seems to love it more than we do!

Mom used to criticize her kids' housekeeping skills until I explained to her that I didn't want my kids to remember me for how clean the house was kept!

 

[Cassandra]

My earliest childhood memories are of me playing with my parents.

I remember my second birthday, daddy bought me a train set and a ride-oh horse with wheels. (I'm told he wanted a boy ) I remember him playing train with me.

When I was about two and a half, I guess (my little sister is two years younger than me and she was crawling at the time) I remember playing Billy Goats Gruff with mom. She built a bridge by laying two dining chairs down on the floor and we crawled under the tunnel their backs made. She was the troll and she would chase us.

We used to always play games that didn't require any props at all like "I Spy" and "Words in a song". I also remember learning to play poker before I learned to read. We played a lot of yahtzee & dominos and other card games, too.

This was not just with my parents, though. We lived together in a sort of extended family situation so there were always more adults than just my parents to play with us.

Cassandra

 

[Henrietta23]

I do. Maybe because my son is an only child and we don't have other kids his age in the neighborhood, but I've spent a lot of time playing Legos, Playmobile, board games, roll playing, outdoor play, etc. My husband does too. My mom hated playing board games with us. We used to have family card games once in a while but it just wasn't her thing. My brother and I either played together or with our neighborhood friends, never with Mom and Dad. We played Billy Goats Gruff too! Especially at my grandma's house because she had a large stuffed animal goat that could play the third billy goat! We'd make a bridge out of an ottaman. Too funny!

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

I don't want to just play with my kids. I want to involve them in everything we do I guess. I want them with me when we are doing the farm chores or house cleaning, etc, even if it takes twice as long to get the stuff done.

I want to have time each day to just get down and play play play...anything really, doesn't have to be my town idea.

I want my kids to feel close to us, their parents, so that when they become teens if they should *gasp* get pregnant or impregnant someone they will know they can come to us and still be loved (but if we do this parenting thing right, that hopefully won't happen!) I want them to grow up knowing they can always come home if things don't go right for them and they need a safe haven, so to speak.

 

[roosmom]

*the smile on her face is wide while she says this*
You are on the right road QA, you definitely are.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Ok so is my idea to build a small playtown and teach my kids about families, diversity, family units, economics, townships, etc. a dumb one??? :|

I had posted this on BYC as well, and it wasn't met with the same, well I dunno, just it has a different feel over there. Like everyone is trying to tell me how to do it better? Maybe it's me and I am being too sensitive.

I don't think anyone over there is understanding what I am wanting to do with it. Or my idea of "playing". I am wondering does anyone really get into the kids mindframe and lose themselves in a world of pretend anymore?

http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=105438&p=4

Instead of imposing a lot of rules on the kids' games, just let them go with it and follow their lead. Little kids are great at imagining, and they will tell you what your role should be and what you should do.

This doesn't fit in with my idea. I want to use it as a core part of my "unschooling". I was figuring the role playing would be good, and they will learn the simple lessons I am trying to get across.

Like to start, since I have this small piece of plywood, we are going to learn about surveying, and plotting out lots. The kids are going to paint the plywood, and we are going to use thumbtacks and string to make our lots to start out. Then they are going to build from there.

Why do people feel the need to tell you how to do it better? I think the suggestions and ideas I was given there are good ones, but now I am wishing I hadn't shared there because I just feel people don't get it.

Or maybe it's just me. Disappointed in the responses I got maybe?

 

[Beekissed]

Aly, when you ask what people think, they usually tell you. That's the bad part about it. :/ I've spent all my life pondering why most people "don't get it"!

WE got it and I think its a great tool and a fun way to learn about things that they don't teach in school. Constructive play and instructive can be the same, if you ask me. When homeschooling, its sometimes hard to vary the learning and make it interesting if you don't use everything at your disposal. I think you are on the right track. The kids can also use it to "pretend" and make up stories on their own also, but the learning game you have planned sounds worth doing and a great learning experience without seeming like they are actually "learning".

 

[Henrietta23]

I know how you feel about that. There's a lot I don't post about my family and how we do things and how we came to be a family because some (I won't say all, but some) feel the need to make unsolicited comments about choices I've made and choices I'm happy I made. I know I'm being cryptic. I'm really just trying to be supportive. Just because I don't do things the way you do doesn't mean that's not an incredible idea that will work for you!
I think my main complaint echoes yours. Since when does sharing an idea equal asking for critisms and suggestions for improvement??
I haven't read your post over there yet. (Funny, I seem to be spending more time over here!)

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Now I feel like I complained

Sorry, I think I am just tired, and shouldn't read over on BYC when I am tired.

Yes, Henrietta, I am over here more than there, too.

So this is what I am thinking, I am going to start posting a homeschool log in the homeschool section here. Keeping tabs on myself on how the schooling is going with my town idea.

Now that I said it, I have to do it right?

I am not going to waste another minute worrying about who didn't get it and why. And if anyone here happened to not get it, maybe when I post in my homeschooling log, they will get it LOL

Ok, I am tired. I almost didn't understand that last sentence myself.

 

[FarmerChick]

well Quail you made the best step ever....disregard the negative stuff you interrupted and move forward with your project.

you know what you want to teach the kids and you are intergrating it thru "play" type items......we get it. You do it your way and those kids will learn valuable lessons and have a great time doing it! Smart mom you are!!

BYC is so much different that this forum I think. We being more SS on this board, kinda think a little different than others. (Heck we all wear the tin hat here I think) HA HA---BYC for me is very diverse and alot are people there are not frugal, don't have to worry about money problems or want to save energy and money, etc. etc. to the extent we do....they are in a different world in a way. Or maybe it is us in the different world..HA HA HA

Not all over there, of course not, but being soooo big BYC posters can hit you with more "out there" responses.

Just my opinion on it....not meant to be a blanket statement ya know...just a "maybe" about the BYC board.