Skip to main content

Parenting Energy At Zero? Find A Jump Rope

Tonight, we sent the boys outside to burn off energy. A strong breeze nearly made up for the muggy air. They opted to clamber onto the tire swing suspended by yellow rope from a towering maple in our backyard.

I had Phoebe strapped to my chest, so to push them I simply gave them a series of forceful shoves with my sneaker. This wouldn't cut it.

"Spin push us. Faster. Hold on, I need to get off. Hold on, I need to get on. Why aren't you pushing me higher?" So it went.

My energy tank had nearly drained dry when Julie took an extra piece of rope lying nearby and turned it into a jump rope. I held the other end. The boys became fast friends with the game. In short order, they learned to jump as the rope arrives at the ground in front of your feet. They laughed as the rope snagged their ankles and black wading boots. They jockeyed to be next in line.

The moral of this story is twofold. First, marry a creative person. Second, allow yourself to find simple ways to entertain your children, especially when you'd rather curl up in bed or bury your face in a book. 

 Call me an ogre, but sometimes it's tempting to give in to exhaustion by planting your children in front of technology or lashing out in an emotional fit. Neither is particularly good for them or you.

Many adults -- especially in privileged places like the U.S. where entertainment is accessible 24/7 -- seem to have a near-constant need for bigger, better, shinier activities. But don't forget you are parenting children, and for kids, the simplest activities can often be the most fun and memorable.

For example, our youngsters get a kick out of:

  • Make believe with sticks and tools from the garage*
  • Pretending to cook and take orders in the play kitchen
  • Staging a board game competition with mom or dad**
  • Playing with their sister, tugging on her arms and legs, and talking to her in squeaky voices***
*Safety goggles and hard hat are advised
**Big emotions and smack talk guaranteed
***Future revenge fully anticipated

You don't need any special skill set to create a fun environment for your children, nor do you need to spend a fortune to ensure they have the latest and greatest entertainment. 

You simply need to use your imagination, help your children see their own potential to invent new games and give them a little space to run around.

At the very least, you can look forward to falling into bed when it's all over. I know I do.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

'A Link Between Angels And Men'

I ran across a quote today that I think is particularly true and that parents know better than anyone: “A babe in the house is a well-spring of pleasure, a messenger of peace and love, a resting place for innocence on earth, a link between angels and men.” That observation comes from the English writer Martin Farquhar Tupper , who lived from 1810 to 1889 . How is it that those words still resonate nearly 130 years after his death? Perhaps it is because they capture the joy of a newborn. Few sights are as innocent as a baby fast asleep, a hand across the chest, tiny fingers spread out and still. Indeed, it is this restful and unimpeded state so many adults seek and so few seem to find. Another explanation for the power of the passage is this: We have become so accustomed to the violence and suffering in our world that we long for the opposite state of being. It is a reality accessible only in our imaginations--and in the lives of our children. No wonder we seek to give them
2 comments
Read more

Make No Excuses

I come from a long line of apologists. By which I mean, we apologize and express regret for many if not most of the things we do, most days of the week. Perhaps you know people like this. As a parent, I have come to realize that this approach is largely a waste of time and energy. Both of those resources are in short supply. Who cares what other people think about your decisions? It's tough to critique people who act with integrity and within the framework of their faith. For example, tonight my energy is waning. Julie and I just completed our monthly budget. It is prime-time entertainment, let me tell you. I'd like to keep on pushing forward on my manuscript. That big announcement I've been promising is coming any day now. I'm beyond excited. It pains me that my eyelids are drooping. Microsoft Word will be around tomorrow, just as it is today. But tonight, I am saying: No. I've heard it's a complete sentence . You have my permission to say "n
2 comments
Read more

The Challenge

Sometimes, circumstances push us to act. Such is the case with my family's embryo adoption journey. Over the past two years, I've come to realize there's a tremendous thirst in our country, and among young couples in particular, to build families. I'm not just talking about the biological or technological processes that enable us to have children. I'm talking about building deep, lasting, meaningful relationships. And if we are building families, then we are necessarily trying to lay the foundation for the next generation. I didn't ever think I'd be here. When my wife, Julie, suggested that we pursue embryo adoption, I didn't think it was what I wanted to do. But with the arrival of my daughter, Phoebe, in March this year, all of that changed. She has our three sons in the palms of her little hands -- and I'm right there with them. If you are already my friend or my family, thank you for reading. If you don't know me from the man in the moo
2 comments
Read more