Six little words that can send a chill down any parent’s spine: “Mom, will you play with me?”
My daughter, Lily, just turned four and had recently started kindergarten. After picking her up one day, we had a long stretch of time with nothing planned. After a quick lunch, she looked up at me with her big, innocent eyes and asked me to play.
I know some may judge me as a bad parent, but I have to admit—I dread those words. While I can happily dress and undress a doll for hours, read books until my voice gives out, or build amazing structures with Legos, the idea of “playing” is daunting.
“Imagine it’s a circus, but I’m not a clown. Pretend I’m a butterfly. Okay, Mom?” Lily suggested.
“Sure!” I replied, trying to muster enthusiasm.
“You have to say, ‘Here comes the butterfly!’” she instructed.
“Alright,” I said, feeling like I was missing something. “Here comes the butterfly!”
“No, Mom! You can’t say it yet. I’m not ready!” She dashed into her playroom and started rummaging through her dress-up box.
When she finally emerged with sparkly wings, I felt relieved. But the moment she stated, “Now pretend this is my wedding and I’m a Barbie bride,” I braced myself for another round of her directives.
“You have to say, ‘Here comes the Barbie bride girl,’” she said.
“Okay, here comes the Barbie bride girl,” I echoed.
Once again, I was told I wasn’t allowed to say anything until she was ready. It was clear that my role in this imaginative play was limited to repeating her lines rather than contributing my own creativity.
Desperate to escape the playtime demands, I often found myself concocting excuses. “I need to use the bathroom,” or “I think I hear the phone ringing!” were my go-to lines. Sometimes I’d even sneak off to check my email—slightly less shameful than suggesting we watch TV instead.
I know that soon enough, my daughters will outgrow their desire to play with me. I’ll probably look back and feel guilty for not engaging more during their imaginative stages. After all, it’s not like I don’t enjoy their performances when they dance and sing. I adore being their audience, clapping and cheering, without the pressure to participate.
However, the kind of imaginative play where I’m merely a puppet to their creativity can be exhausting. Being ordered around by a four-year-old isn’t exactly my idea of fun, and those six words, “Mom, will you play with me?” continue to haunt me. If you’d like to explore more on this topic, check out this excellent resource on pregnancy and home insemination. Also, for more insights, have a look at this post about our terms and conditions. If you are interested in effective home insemination methods, Make A Mom offers great authority on the subject.
In summary, while imaginative play can be a challenge for some parents, it’s important to cherish those moments, even if they come with a bit of reluctance.