Another pearl of wisdom came forth from my mother-in-law recently (can you guess she’s been visiting?)
So, here’s the scenario. She came to visit. She played with BabyBoy and BabyGirl. She noticed that my parenting involves teaching my children (shocker). She’s had a son.
So….you’d think she’d realize that there’s more to this parenting lark than having fun. There are values to teach, a world to learn about, a society to take your place in.
Yet, as we sat down to dinner after BabyBoy and BabyGirl went to bed, she turns to me and says, ‘So much playing! You and Multidaddy work, I’ll play with them. In twenty years then you can have playtime’.
Er, no no no and no again. I didn’t have children so that I could enjoy my grandchildren. I intend to enjoy, and parent, my children now, even while I have to do other things. I’ll make time to play with them. And if she doesn’t realize how much toddler learning is through play, I’m concerned.
I know it takes a village to raise a child, but I think that having parents around, where possible, is important.
