When my son was little, we used to play a game I liked to call “Tuck Mummy in for a Nap.” It kept him busy, helped him to practice his nurturing skills, and I got to lie down for a while. I know I’m not alone; parents of little children everywhere are trying to figure out how to parent while lying down. And one dad has kindly given us another horizontal tactic to try.
This game is called “Draw Me as I Rest—Best One Gets a Chocolate,” and it was created when tired father Michael Weber stayed home with his four kids while his wife, Monica, went grocery shopping. He’d just come off an overnight shift and wanted to recline, so he pulled out some art supplies, lined his children up and told them to sketch him. Motherly explains:
The rules of the contest were that the most complete drawing would get the chocolate prize, thus keeping them glued to the spot for the 20 or so minutes of Monica’s trip to the store. The four Weber kids were old enough to realise what their dad was doing (and old enough to rouse him from his light snooze if they needed to) but since they all enjoy art anyway, they played along.
We can’t endorse trying this trick when you’re so tired that you might actually fall into a deep sleep, especially if your children are very young. It’s better to think of it as an opportunity to lie down and relax without having to directly entertain them or answer anyone’s questions for a few moments.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.