Hello Good Friend,

How are you doing today? As always I am hoping all is going well with you! I hope that you are remembering to make time for yourself!

Being a mommy is a full time job that keeps you EXTREMELY busy! You have to much to do, not just taking care and playing with the kiddos…you are making daily meals, cleaning, laundry, dishes, grocery shopping, doctor visits…the list can go on and on.

I hear ya sister…some days you’re lucky to enjoy a hot cup of coffee, a hot meal (if you remember to eat at all), or a rushed shower where you don’t feel like you left half the soap on your body!

I honestly have worked MOMMY’S TIME OUTS into my day! They have been a saving grace that has brought a calm in my life. I threw out the guilt and embraced my MOMMY’S TIME OUT time!

I actually accidentally stumbled across this MOMMY’S TIME OUT…Cooperative Play!

Yes, I love my children dearly and because I love them dearly I will call a spade a spade! My kids can be very bossy during playtime! Please don’t misunderstand they are great kids…they will just take over your game within the first 3 to 5 minutes. We have been very blessed in our lives to come across awesome kids who have played along with whatever game my kids want to play…but it is not okay for my kids to always get their way during playtime!

Sure some may call them born leaders…YES, I see that in my children and it makes me a proud momma! I want them to become strong leaders! In life even a strong leader needs to learn how to listen, work with others, share, work through problems RESPECTFULLY, demonstrate compassion, and try to understand others points of view! As their mother I take that ideal very seriously because how they learn to play is part of what molds them into responsible, respectful leaders!

So I had quite a conundrum on my hands because I had three very bossy little ones when it comes to play time! So I instilled Cooperative Playtime…well you might be thinking this is nothing knew Val! Well yes, yes it was to my kiddos. See as an adult you think go play no big deal, but to a group of varying ages (10, 7, and 3)…that’s a big deal! The 10 year old thinks he is the boss…tries to tell the 7 year old what to do but he is sweet and gives in to the 3 year old. Well the 7 year old just wants to be heard so she repeats herself over and over until she is so frustrated she acts out! Or the 10 and 7 year old totally ignore the 3 year old to where she can’t take it anymore and has a massive melt down! Then there are those moments when the 10 year old feels he is above the games they want to play and he just snubs his sisters altogether! I can name a dozen more scenarios.

Yeah people this is real world emotional stuff to them and in their little worlds it is a BIG DEAL!

Here are the rules to Cooperative Play…

1. We play it everyday!

2. Each child gets 15 to 20 minutes of calling the shots!

3. Whoever is in charge makes up the game or chooses the playtime.

4. The other kids must play the game of the kiddo who’s calling the shots.

5. They are not allowed to change the game until Mommy says…find a stopping point (Yes Mommy has to time them because it is only fair).

6. They are not allowed to tell on each other unless someone is hurting someone’s body or someone gets hurt physically. If your feelings are hurt we can call a timeout and discuss it.

7. This is kiddo time only! Parents are not allowed to play at this time (this is where your MOMMY’S TIMEOUT comes in…do what ya gotta do or just relax and enjoy 😉).

Y’all know that MOMMY’S TIMEOUT is important but it should be just as important for our kids. I think the guilt would be greater if they were not doing something that they could learn from and enjoy. If you are looking for more ideas visit my other blog ideas for MOMMY’S TIME-OUT!

Your Friend,

Val