I’m throwing it out there, I am far from the perfect mum. That bitch bakes every weekend for school lunch boxes, plays tea parties and monster trucks and she’s covered in glitter after making fairy castles and dragon dungeons (waves at my own brilliant Mother)
That is definitely not me. They ask me to come to play and I drag my feet. I’m the mum who would love for them to play by themselves or together, after all, that’s why we made two of them. I joke. Ok not completely.
Do you know how I find time to do things for me, like read an ebook, watching a movie, blog or just binge play some Sims 4 (how I spent my rainy day today)? I bribe my kids with tv. Don’t you judge me because I know we ALL do it at some point. Some just do it more than others.
I will usher my kids into the lounge room put on a brand new movie they haven’t seen, ply them with snacks and then go do my own thing. Do I get harassed throughout the day for more snacks? yes! Do they get bored and come nag me to play? yes! But at least I'm getting small blocks of alone time.
And I break up tv time, I send them outside to go absolutely crazy, do laps, dig holes, kick balls and burn off some crazy energy, then they come back inside chilled out and watch some more ABC kids. And then the cycle starts again. Tv, outside, tv, outside etc
I remember when Miss 5 was younger and having a fellow mum making me feel guilty, and found myself lying about the fact the ABC kids was a full-time staple in our house. Even if it wasn't always being watched, most of the time it was just for background noise. But now I say, Bugger that.
Do I believe too much screen time is bad for kids? ummm, der Fred, that’s why they have outside time. It's just sometimes my sanity is more important, and if my kids have spent a whole afternoon watching Fireman Sam, Dougie and Bluey for me to stay sane, then so be it. And this week has been one of those weeks. We’re stuck inside after the glorious deluge of rain in the Far North QLD, and there is nothing much my gremlins can do outside.
And there is no shame in that. My kids are happy, fed and loved and that’s still a pretty damn good thing in my books. So if you're a fellow tv loving Molehill Mama then ...
And Remember, Love Yourself Moles
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