I want to play with you

It’s 7:30 in the morning we are already three in the kitchen, me, 36 years old and my two children who are 5 and 2 years old. We are preparing crepes for breakfast. We crack eggs, we take turns adding ingredients and whisking, between laughs and the occasional argument. We are getting ready for a full day with mommy.

I have everything planned.

We are going to the park to see one of my daughter’s best friends. From 9 to noon the kids will play together in a super cool park with the most exciting slides and swings. Then we will go to the aquarium to show my son the sharks and feed the manta rays. At two we are going to lunch with grandad. At 4 we have planned a visit to another friend's house, where the little ones will play and I will have a coffee with the adults :) by 7 we will be at home almost in time for dinner.

Everything went perfectly. I would never imagine that a day with two children could go so according to plan.

Told you the park was cool.

We get home, shower, have dinner and get ready to read a story because it is time to sleep.

And that's where they both look at me and say,

"But mommy we haven't played today!"
I look at them, in disbelief and I reply, “What?! So, what have we done all day? ”

To which my 5 year old daughter replies, “We’ve done lots of things but we wanted to play with you.”

Indeed, I gave them the whole day, all my attention and all the plans that I could put into a single day, I gave them hours of fun but if I stop to think about it I didn't actually play with them. I was there while they were playing, I taught them a lot, and I took them where they wanted to go but I didn't really play with them.

And that's just exactly what they had in mind when I told them we would spend the day together – a day to play with me.

I will leave you with that notion which is so simple but full of complex emotions. I leave you with the idea that in the end what they most want is to play with us, their parents and caretakers, at least while they are still so small. I feel super flattered to tell you the truth.

Has this same thing happened to you before?

From here we wish you a year full of shared play.