By Meg Hodson
My son has been bummed out as of late. "I never get any playtime anymore," he will lament after he comes home from school. First, it was the gradual disappearance of toys after kindergarten. Then, sharing time by 2nd grade was gone. Now a 3rd grader, the homework and reading have increased. Match that with busy schedules like soccer and time is limited.
After school, depending on the afternoon schedule, we will roll right into homework to get done what we can. Most of the time, I don't get many groans. But lately, the groans (and even anger) has increased from my son. Again he complains, "I just don't get playtime anymore and it makes me mad."
I have a gentle conversation with him about getting older, growing up, and having more responsibility as a 3rd grader. Reading is harder at this level and thus you need to try harder. But sometimes, it is still too much for him. I can see him just not have the concentration and stamina on any given day. If you are a parent of a boy, you know they sometimes have a hard time focusing and are often fidgety (it's because of this I have my son often stand up to work....paging Gaiam for one of those awesome bouncy-ball chairs!). Even the Washington Post things kids are sitting too long in the classroom.
This is how it is, right? School is in session, its sports and school and homework. You may get a slight breather on the weekends, but even then, you at least have to read, right? These are the rules, I am following "orders".
There's just one detail I had forgotten; he's a kid!! Hallelujah for kids! They have endless energy, they can find pure joy by just running or jumping, swinging on a swing is heaven, make believe play actually exists, scooters and bikes are WAY COOL. Why was I (inadvertently) pulling my son away from this? Why did I not immediately realize the importance playtime?
The thing is....I do, It just got pushed to the back burner as homework and sports came to the forefront. But playtime, I have decided, is as important as these things. Kids have to run around and work the sillies out. I live by this belief during summer, why should it be any different during the school year?
OK, real life will interrupt here inevitably. I certainly am not going to let homework and commitments slide. But I am going to make playtime an important part of the day, too....as much as I can. After all, you only get to be a kid once.
