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  • To parents of only children....I am stay-at-home mother to a three and a half year old boy/only child. He does go to nursery school four mornings a week. I try to run all my errands, clean the house, return phone calls during that time, but with the commute, I only get a few things done before having to pick up ds. My question is, being his only "playmate" while at home, I feel extremely guilty when I need to finish things up, like laundry, cleaning, getting dinner ready. How much time do other parents spend playing with their onlys? Am I being to harsh on myself. I worry he is lonely, I feel so guilty, but also hurried and stressed to get everything done. TIA

    5 replies [ Reply | Watch | Options ]
    06.29.08, 04:33 PM [ Flag ]
    • I'll be watching this because while I have 3 dcs my youngest is 7 and the older two are 21 and 25. I have the same concerns.

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      06.29.08, 04:45 PM [ Flag | link to this post ]
      • Hi. What has it been like raising your 7 year old? Did you also worry that he/she had to play alone too much while you got things done?

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        06.29.08, 05:08 PM [ Flag | link to this post ]
    • you need to learn to find a balance and let some things go. spend time with your son, then encourage him to do something alone for a while, like playdoh or coloring at the table while you prepare dinner, or finish vaccuuming or whatever, then you let him help you for a while, then you stop and pay attention to him, etc. not everything needs to get done in one day.

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      06.29.08, 04:45 PM [ Flag | link to this post ]
      • Thank you, that is good, solid advice. I do try to balance, find ways for ds to keep busy and I also involve him in cooking/cleaning when I can. Preschoolers love to be helpers! I just need to get past the guilt. I worry that ds is lonely without a sib, but make every attempt for us to socialize with close friends and other children. Thanks again.

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        06.29.08, 05:07 PM [ Flag | link to this post ]
    • i was an only, and i had a rampant imagination and as a mother I consider it part of my responsibility to let my kids get bored so they figure themselves out.

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      06.29.08, 05:09 PM [ Flag | link to this post ]
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