How long do you actually spend time with your kids?

JessieJa · February 2015

I'm wondering, do you play much with your children? Although I spend much time with my DD, but I don't play with her all day long. I have so much work to do.
I'm
wondering how is it in your families? Do you play a lot with your kids?

SharonB222 · February 2015

When we were fostering the guideline was 20-40-20 minutes of child-directed play/activity (20 m in the morning, 40 min during the day, 20 min at bedtime). That was easy enough with a 7-year-old, but I find with a toddler and preschooler it looks different. I spend a LOT of time supervising them which doesn't feel like play, but is interactive. As you know a 15-month old has diddly of an attention span so I'm thrilled when we interact for 5-10 min (with a ball, or dancing) and then it's 30 more min of supervision (which is interaction-lite). I enjoy sitting down to eat every meal with my kids. I do okay I guess (as I am here in the office and my DS is walking back and forth between bedrooms waving markers in the air and my DD is wetting tissues and chewing on them.) When I am in a rut or brain dead, I refer to my Toddler Play book for ideas.

rspalding001 · February 2015

I have a 15 month old and when we are together (not at daycare) we pretty much spend the whole day together. Sometimes she plays independently but much of the time I need to interact with her. When getting chores done I let her "help". So it's not all play but it's interactive.

Crequito · March 2015

DD is 23 months and M-F I probably spend 30 minutes in the morning and an hour at night playing with her but on weekends I'm with her all day pretty much. In terms of actual interaction on the weekends, it varies. If it's nice outside and we can go to the park for her to run around and climb the jungle gym while I watch her then that's what we do. If it's an inside day (rain, ice, arctic cold) then I try to limit her tv and iPad time and sub in "school" activities (learning shapes, numbers or letters) every hour or so.

SLGILL1978 · March 2015

I have a 2 year old. We play when we get home, after cooking and getting ready for the next day. Usually while I am doing that, she is in the kitchen with me playing, coloring or sitting on the counter "helping". Once we relax before bedtime, she plays. Sometimes she reads me letters and pictures she knows, sings other times she is happy just doing her own thing. She is a big climber so she likes to look out the window, climb in and out of her pack n play, coffee table, etc. We are together all weekend as well. If it's nice outside, we take walks and go to the park.

How long do you actually spend time with your kids?

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