The "FUN MOM", something I have always strive to be as a Mom. The one that wasn't afraid to get their hair wet in the pool, let their kids paint, or make a mess. I think because I grew up with a fun mom it was just ingrained in me. I often get messages or comments about, wow it's great you let your kids get messy and have so much fun". Or "how do you handle the mess when you do all the activities?" Well I am here to tell you being the "fun mom" doesn't mean your kids and your house are going to be dirty 24/7. Being the fun mom is more of a state of mind. Am I the fun mom every day? Probably not, but I try my hardest to enjoy these years with my kids, and if that means that we get dirty or I get my hair wet in the pool I am here for it. Here are some tips on being more of a "fun mom".
Being The Fun Mom Doesn't Mean Messy House
Let's touch on the idea that being the fun mom means your house is a mess and you do all the crafty things. That isn't true. Being that fun mom can mean you are playful. It is SITTING down with your kids and interacting and playing. It is wrestling with them, tickling them, playing tag, hide and go seek or a board game, or having epic dance-offs. These are all mess free activities. Personally, we are more of an obstacle course kind of family, which does create a little mess but it is so fun. Have you tried army crawling through a tunnel in your mid 30's? It isn't easy.
Let's touch on the idea that being the fun mom means your house is a mess and you do all the crafty things. That isn't true. Being that fun mom can mean you are playful. It is SITTING down with your kids and interacting and playing. It is wrestling with them, tickling them, playing tag, hide and go seek or a board game, or having epic dance-offs. These are all mess free activities. Personally, we are more of an obstacle course kind of family, which does create a little mess but it is so fun. Have you tried army crawling through a tunnel in your mid 30's? It isn't easy.
Pick Things YOU Enjoy
Fun Mom tip- pick activities YOU ENJOY! I personally don't love baking with my kids, especially Monroe. She makes a giant mess. I have found that forcing yourself to do things that you don't enjoy in the end won't be fun. We don't paint a lot but we do watercolor because that is less messy and a good alternative. I tend to really be my happiest when I am teaching them. So we play in our barbie house and our favorite game is "School" where I am the teacher barbie and quiz the other barbies. I also love playing with them outside and that is one of the biggest reasons I have a garden. I love gardening with them.
Fun Mom tip- pick activities YOU ENJOY! I personally don't love baking with my kids, especially Monroe. She makes a giant mess. I have found that forcing yourself to do things that you don't enjoy in the end won't be fun. We don't paint a lot but we do watercolor because that is less messy and a good alternative. I tend to really be my happiest when I am teaching them. So we play in our barbie house and our favorite game is "School" where I am the teacher barbie and quiz the other barbies. I also love playing with them outside and that is one of the biggest reasons I have a garden. I love gardening with them.
Play In Intervals
Do you find yourself saying, "just a minute" or "when I'm done cleaning I will play with you." What I like to do is break up playing with the kids in 15-20 minute intervals. Give me all the imagination play, dress up, or play-doh, but after about 20 minutes I am pretty much done and ready to return to my household duties. If you have laundry to do great, but play with them for a little bit then excuse yourself to tackle projects around the house. I do this multiple times a day. As bad as it sounds to "schedule" your fun time it is necessary when you have to run a household or work.
Do you find yourself saying, "just a minute" or "when I'm done cleaning I will play with you." What I like to do is break up playing with the kids in 15-20 minute intervals. Give me all the imagination play, dress up, or play-doh, but after about 20 minutes I am pretty much done and ready to return to my household duties. If you have laundry to do great, but play with them for a little bit then excuse yourself to tackle projects around the house. I do this multiple times a day. As bad as it sounds to "schedule" your fun time it is necessary when you have to run a household or work.
The Messy Details Of The Fun Mom Life
Now let's talk about all the things that people are scared of when they hear about being the "fun mom".
Will your house get messy? YEP!
Will you hair get wet? YEP!
Is it more work, YEP?
Is is really worth it? YEP X 100!
It recently was snowing on night at like 7pm and it was getting close to the kids bedtime. Jay was upstairs and I yelled for him to come downstairs to help me. You should of seen his face when he realized I was getting both kids into their snow clothes at 7pm to go play outside. Was this what parents want to do at 7pm on a Sunday night? Probably not, but we don't get a lot of snow here and when it does snow at night it is so magical. We all got our snow clothes and played in the 1/2 inch of snow for 30 minutes. I personally didn't think about it as extra work (like my husband did) I just think of the fun. So maybe it is a mindset that I have, maybe I live in a bit of a fantasy world, maybe I enjoy reliving my childhood in my kids eyes. Whatever it is I love it. So the kids went to bed later, the laundry room had snow in it, we had mittens to dry out. We can clean all of that, but how many times will I be able to run around with my kids in the snow at night.
Now let's talk about all the things that people are scared of when they hear about being the "fun mom".
Will your house get messy? YEP!
Will you hair get wet? YEP!
Is it more work, YEP?
Is is really worth it? YEP X 100!
It recently was snowing on night at like 7pm and it was getting close to the kids bedtime. Jay was upstairs and I yelled for him to come downstairs to help me. You should of seen his face when he realized I was getting both kids into their snow clothes at 7pm to go play outside. Was this what parents want to do at 7pm on a Sunday night? Probably not, but we don't get a lot of snow here and when it does snow at night it is so magical. We all got our snow clothes and played in the 1/2 inch of snow for 30 minutes. I personally didn't think about it as extra work (like my husband did) I just think of the fun. So maybe it is a mindset that I have, maybe I live in a bit of a fantasy world, maybe I enjoy reliving my childhood in my kids eyes. Whatever it is I love it. So the kids went to bed later, the laundry room had snow in it, we had mittens to dry out. We can clean all of that, but how many times will I be able to run around with my kids in the snow at night.
Shout out to my Mom (pic above) for being the ultimate play in the dirt, build a sandcastle, fun kind of Mom!!
So mamas here are a few ideas or things to do with your kids.
-Make a fort
-Mother / Daughter at home spa day
-Pajama Day
-Sleep over in your kids room
-Build legos together
-Go to the park and PLAY with them, slides, chase, swings etc
-Have a living room or back yard picnic
-Go on a nature walk
-Create a treasure hunt for them
-Dance Parties!
-Playing bucking bronco and let them crawl all over you
-Play barbies
-Teach them hopscotch, 2 square, or something from your childhood
-Swim with them, do dolphin rides, hold their hand and jump in the pool
-Garden, plant flowers
-Play dress up
-Make Rootbeer floats or ice cream sundaes
-Obstacle Course
Also I remind you that Dad's don't have to be the fun ones. You can too. Why CAN'T YOU go down the slide with the kids, do a cannon ball into the pool with them, pull them on the sled? I don't want to be sitting on the sidelines while my husband is making those memories because I " didn't want to get my hair wet", or "it was too cold". Get in there, enjoy every minute of it. And when you look back in 20 years you will be thankful you were the FUN MOM!
Cheers,
Jess
So mamas here are a few ideas or things to do with your kids.
-Make a fort
-Mother / Daughter at home spa day
-Pajama Day
-Sleep over in your kids room
-Build legos together
-Go to the park and PLAY with them, slides, chase, swings etc
-Have a living room or back yard picnic
-Go on a nature walk
-Create a treasure hunt for them
-Dance Parties!
-Playing bucking bronco and let them crawl all over you
-Play barbies
-Teach them hopscotch, 2 square, or something from your childhood
-Swim with them, do dolphin rides, hold their hand and jump in the pool
-Garden, plant flowers
-Play dress up
-Make Rootbeer floats or ice cream sundaes
-Obstacle Course
Also I remind you that Dad's don't have to be the fun ones. You can too. Why CAN'T YOU go down the slide with the kids, do a cannon ball into the pool with them, pull them on the sled? I don't want to be sitting on the sidelines while my husband is making those memories because I " didn't want to get my hair wet", or "it was too cold". Get in there, enjoy every minute of it. And when you look back in 20 years you will be thankful you were the FUN MOM!
Cheers,
Jess
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