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Thursday, December 10, 2009

What Room Time Can Do For You

Ever since my first child was born, I was encouraged by those who had traveled this parenting road before me to begin something called "pack-n-play time." This was a time for my sweet baby to play by herself, safely in the pack-n-play, while I did things that I needed to do, like cook or clean for a few minutes or put away groceries. It also helped teach the fact that Mommy was not their personal, 24 hour entertainer, and that they were perfectly capable of amusing themselves without me right there.

We did begin this time, and eventually, our sweet baby was ready to graduate from the pack-n-play to her bedroom. We put a gate in the door of her room, and let her play by herself for a few minutes with toys that I had picked out from our toy closet.

When our second child was born, we began to coordinate the times, so that pack-n-play time was the same time as the oldest's room time, giving me a few minutes to do what I needed to do without little hands around.

It was so helpful that it is the first thing I tell new moms when they ask me for advice.

We continued room time for all of our children for a certain time each day, and they loved it. Your two year old may not love being in the pack-n-play at first if you have never done this before, but believe me, there will come a time when your child will love this down time as much as my kids do. You get to play with toys, all by yourself, and Mommy doesn't even expect you to share. How often does that happen?

Now, for my older ones, it is a time to read books, to practice shooting the small basketball into the goal on his closet door, to listen to some music on the CD players. The youngest one still has pack-n-play time, where he bangs little cars together, or builds with Legos.


The other day, the kitchen had gotten away from me. I know...shocker.

The dishwasher had been loaded and unloaded by my precious, almost two year old, and things just got a little crazy.

It was time for room time/pack-n-play time.

Twenty minutes later, calm was restored.



What can room time do for you?

1 comment:

  1. I definitely need to start this with Piper. Such a great idea.

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