Play *is* fun, and sadly gets shunted to the side so often. I say, swing ‘em around! Hide under tented bedcovers with a flashlight. Sing randomly made-up songs (Holly’s favorite lately is our “Iron Giant and Hogarth” song and its variations). Take turns chasing each other around the house. If tired, play a computer game together or read. Well, that’s what we do.

We also let Holly help with dishes, rake the yard, sweep the floors, fold laundry, feed the cats. Okay, she’s not very good at most of that work stuff, but she feels included and thinks it’s fun, for the most part. Can’t wait ’til she’s old enough to scoop the litterboxes! Hah!

But yeah, I include playing with or entertaining Holly equally in my mind’s list of accomplishments for the day, along with whether I dealt with bills, vacuumed (ha, I so rarely vacuum; eww my floors are crunchy already), cleaned, did laundry or dishes and all what-not. If I haven’t played with her much, I feel like I left something unfinished and her neglected, which feels a good deal worse to me than if I neglect the dishes.

But then, I bet our kids get a lot of great attention from us, but it’s admirable to try for more! Darn that parental guilt thing…