Go Play!

I really appreciated this article on putting on your swimsuit and playing with your children. My blog post is more about playing with your children as it is about putting on your swimsuit. I have often let other things crowd out the need for me to play with my children. (How I look in a swimsuit is only one of those things.)

You aren't getting a picture of me playing with them in my swimsuit. I'm not usually the one who goes up high into the playground with them either.

A while back, we went to my sister's-in-law pool. Usually, I am in a big hurry, have other things to do so I don't want to mess up my hair and makeup. But that day, I actually planned to get in. I was the first to run and jump straight into the water and the kids loved it! We played hard and were sad to leave when it was time to go. Lydia said that it was the "funnest day at the pool in forever".  When we decided not to take a vacation this year, I really purposed to do some fun things with the girls. We even bought water guns for the whole family and ambushed some unsuspecting folks. I had more fun than the girls and I'm the one to keep asking if we can do it again.

Playing with my children is important. They can learn valuable lessons. Among many things, they can learn 

• how to have fun without electronics
• not to take themselves too seriously
• rejoice when others win
• that laughter does a heart good

We live in an age where many children have a lot of access to electronics or are over scheduled with activities that take them away from home. They need us to be involved in their play. (They also need time to be bored and learn to play by themselves, but that's another post.)

I often feel my age and give in to the temptation to let the older girls play with Abigail rather than do it myself. They get to enjoy her, but I miss out. I'm sure that I can come up with as many excuses as anyone else (besides just the age factor), but the truth is I still need to play.