Do you feel like you are constantly being pulled in different directions? Do you feel torn when you have to partake in household chores instead of spending time with your children? Does the mommy guilt begin to pile on? Do you start questioning your priorities?
We have all been there, we feel so guilty for taking time to do things like laundry and dishes instead of spending quality time with the children. Granted these are tasks that need to be completed; maybe there is a way to do both? This is what I like to call Hybrid time.
Hybrid Time is time during the day that you complete household chores while still participating in fun games and activities with your children. This way you can remove the mommy guilt and feel great about getting the necessary chores accomplished. Below are a few of the activities that my children and I participate in during Hybrid time.
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Treasure Hunt: So you need a few minutes to switch around the laundry and start dinner? This is a great choice that is sure to give you some time to complete your chores and your child is guaranteed to have fun.
Appropriate for Age: preschoolers and up.
Time: Should give mom 10-15 minutes to complete her task
What you will need: Paper, Pen, & Treasure The treasure could be their snack (still in package) or their favorite toy, any treasure will do, it is more about the hunt.
How to make: Take the paper and pen and draw out five locations on the map. It is important that the map is age appropriate for your child. If your child can read you can write out hints and clues along the way but if they are younger pictures will need to be provided. The last location should be where you place the treasure. Time to play: Hand over the map and watch as the fun unfolds.
Added fun: If you have walkie-talkies you can feed them hints and clues along their travels throughout the house. You can be in the basement doing laundry while talking to them or, in the next room, wherever.
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Healthy Option vs. Unhealthy option
Appropriate for Age: 2 and up
Time: this fluctuates, you decide how many rounds your want to play. This is a favorite game for the children to play while I prepare meals. They often sit at the table eagerly awaiting my next question.
How to play: While prepare a meal have your children sit around or within ear shot and you name three foods. You can either name two healthy options and one unhealthy (they would name the unhealthy), or you name two unhealthy and one healthy (they would name the healthy).
For example: Name the unhealthy option- Apple, Peach, or French Fries? The answer is French fries. Name the healthy option- Carrot cake, oatmeal cookies, or celery? The answer is celery. You could also add to the fun and use visual aids if you have them available in your kitchen. You can make this age appropriate as well, say you would like to teach your elementary child healthy food options. You could have them name the complex carbohydrate or perhaps the food with protein, etc. Then give your child a chance to ask you the questions, this really helps them understand nutrition. Hopefully one day they will stump you. I think that whenever you have the opportunity to engage in an educational activity with your child why not make it fun!
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Hide-N-Find
Appropriate for Age: 2 and up
Time: usually 10 minutes but could fluctuate
How to play: Take 5 of the same objects, maybe five plastic stacking cups, linking rings, Barbie dolls, legos, five of anything that is similar. Hide those five objects in your home. Place them in age/height appropriate locations then have your child locate them. This is a fun activity because you do not have to hide, mommy can continue on with the household chores while the kiddo searches the house for the objects.
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Pots-N-Pan Jam
Appropriate for Age: All time Favorite with the babies and toddlers
How to play: Get out a pot, pan, spatula, and wooden spoon and give them to the baby. You tap on the pot and pan with the spoon then the baby will, and so on and so forth. This is an oldie but a goody.
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What Animal am I?
Appropriate for Age: 2 and up
How to Play: You pick an animal in you mind, say a cow. Your child then guesses what animal you are, basically 20 questions but with animals. Then it is their turn to pick an animal. If you can get some pictures of animals prior to playing and then pull those out for your children to review during the game it makes it easier for them to pick their animimal and answer your questions.
Now you can kiss that mommy guilt goodbye, get the household tasks accomplished and still have fun with your children. Life is good!
