The gift of play

How is it possible that my boys are 5 and almost 2. They are growing so fast it makes me sad. I've been so busy with a new business opportunity that it feels like I've just been co-existing with the kids. They are there and I am there but we are not together. It sounds awful doesn't it?It feels awful! Because I know I am going to be that parent that says "I wish I spent more time with my kids...". But I don't want to be that parent! I want to enjoy every day with them...THOROUGHLY enjoy them. Not because I "have" to or because I "should", but because I want to. To be honest, Ia m terrible at playing and sometimes I find it difficult to give them my undivided attention. The long list of chores I have to do are constantly running through my head...so I'll play for a minute and then get up and do something else. Connor told me the other day that he wishes I played with him more. Did you hear that? Yeah, that was my heart breaking. It wouldn't hurt so bad if it wasn't true. My biggest fear is that he will eventually just stop trying to get me to play with him.

Mike is seriously my parent role model. He is so amazing with those boys. When he plays with them, they are the only 3 people on earth. And there is always amps of laughter protruding from the room. He's capable of playing with both of them at the same time - which I find really challenging. I want to be more like him, but am grateful that one of us is so amazing!

I'm so thankful for my beautiful kids and their beautiful personalities. They are everything I could ever ask for in my children.

I found this quote online and it really spoke to me:

"If I accomplish nothing else as a parent, I would like my children to grow up feeling that they had a happy childhood and that they were not pressured to achieve rather then play, to be people they were not, to live up to unrealistic expectations, or to judge their success by material gain. I want my children to live slowly and to have the time to be children. Let this be their only purpose."