Lets play some games

I've been really trying to spend more time with my children throughout the day. This might sound confusing, since I am with them all day long. But it's possible to be in the same room with someone, without giving them the attention they are so desperately craving to get. School is a chore for the day. It's something that HAS to be done, not all of us like to do it, but it's pretty much just a check mark on a list of many daily events that take place around here. So where's the fun in our homeschool? To be honest it's terribly lacking! I've been trying very hard to discipline myself to stop for 15 minutes each hour throughout the day, and just plop in the middle of the floor with the kids, and just have some good-old-fashioned fun. Hide and seek, tickle monster, reading books, or making up silly dances have all quickly become my new guilty pleasure. How many adults get to run around the house and goof off and be silly, and just have FUN with their kids? I hope to start setting aside at least half a hour after the twins go to bed to sit down and play family games with our older three. If we aren't investing in our kids, what are we investing in? I can't even remember how I spent my days when my kids were being rushed off to school with the masses every morning. Gosh, what DID I do? Talk on the phone, gossip, catch up on my dvr...I was definitely in a lot better shape since I actually had time to work out, oh and my house was cleaner...but do those things REALLY matter in the big picture? How can someone say a workout/clean house/ t.v. shows are more important than spending time with children? Sadly I fail at this way more than I succeed. Which is why I am SO thankful to have my kids at home with me...I get so many opportunities to hug, love on, and tickle them throughout the day, even in the middle of prepping dinner, planning lessons, or folding laundry. My challenge to myself in the coming weeks, and to all SAHM - let the dishes go, if we have mac n cheese for dinner one night it's ok, workout for 20 mins instead of a hour, and put down the remote, shut off the computer, and let's take the time to spend time in engaging our children, and showing them that THEY are MUCH more important than all the other things in our life that we get "busy" with!