If you’re a parent you know that sweet phase when your baby is just cooing and giggling quickly turns into a toddler phase which is not that fun. Well, almost not fun at all if you ask some people.
Parenting isn’t always the most enjoyable experience and we don’t talk about it enough. Sure, there are some really special moments, like when your baby smiles for the first time or says their first word. But then they become toddlers and want you to play with them all the time.
This is when I started questioning everything. Why do I hate playing with my child so much? I don’t even know how to play with them and it feels more like a tedious chore than bonding time!
So you can only imagine my relief when I found out I’m not the only one and a lot of parents struggle with this. One dad asked Reddit how they feel about playtime with their toddlers.
“Does anyone actually enjoy playing with their child/children?”
A recent post on Reddit sparked discussion among parents. Apparently a lot of people don’t really enjoy playing with their kids, especially toddlers. A dad started his post by saying:
“As basically all parents do I really love my son and there are some really enjoyable moments as well as some really difficult and exhausting moments. So far so normal and expected.”
Before he became a parent, he expected to enjoy spending these moments with his son, but soon the reality hit him hard. He continued:
“But one thing bothers me. Before becoming a parent I expected that playing with once child would be quite enjoyable… But it’s sooooo incredibly boring. I really have to try hard to seem interested and not give away that I’d rather do something else.”
He quickly realized that pushing toy cars around all the time was not really how he imagined parenthood.
I think there is not even one parent who can say parenthood turned out exactly as they imagined it. We all embark on that journey excited with a vision that being a parent will be filled with only fun and sweet moments.
After some time has passed, this initial feeling wears off and we become slaves of boring daily routines. This is when we realize that keeping a toddler entertained can be quite overwhelming and exhausting.
And it’s not that we’re tired of our kids or don’t love them, that’s far away from the truth! We simply don’t find joy in little things they are just discovering for the first time.
I know you may feel guilty and I did too! However, this is a completely normal part of parenthood and there’s nothing to worry about.
The dad ended the post by saying he hopes things will change when his son becomes older. Other parents supported him and shared their advice.
If you think playing with toddlers is boring, you’re not alone
Reddit users quickly validated dad’s feelings saying they feel the same about playtime with their kids. Many shared their own experiences and how they cope with this problem.
The common message of all comments was the same; while playtime is crucial for kids, it’s also normal for parents to find it monotonous.
One parent shared their struggles with pretend games and said while she enjoys board games and card games she can’t stand playing with Barbies or anything similar. This was the top comment for a reason because apparently, it’s what bothers other parents as well.
They all said they find it annoying when their kids go through the imaginative phase of play and want others to play with them exactly as they wish. However, not everyone agrees and says they actually love this:
“I enjoy very much playing pretend with my 4-year-old. She has a great imagination and makes up fun and interesting scenarios. They are often removed enough from reality to be entertaining to me. I also guide the game to a place where I get to enjoy myself.”
Another parent said the honest truth no one wants to admit:
“I really don’t enjoy playing, no. I do play and try to fake it for their good, but mostly I try to do the things that I do enjoy: reading or art. And I watch them do the other things and let them tell me about it. But playing pretend makes me want to ram my head into a brick wall, so I keep that to a minimum.”
The dad replied to her thread and wrote he’s now relieved knowing other people feel that way as well.
Some users shared what has helped them to deal with their toddlers. A lot of parents try playing with their kids only when it comes to something they actually enjoy. In other cases, they encourage them to play alone as that’s also important.
The key is to find something you both like doing so you can make the most out of your time together. Being a parent isn’t easy with everything we have to do and then to always be ready to play with kids on top of that is almost impossible sometimes. So don’t be hard on yourself!
It’s all about finding balance. You need to make sure your child is getting the development they need but also don’t forget about your well-being.