Toddler mom bravely confesses that she hates 'pretend play' — fellow parents secretly agree
Children love pretend play, but it's not always as fun for the parents. Whether they’re pretending to be superheroes or building imaginary worlds, little ones cherish their parents' company. While it can be exhausting for parents at times, these moments mean everything to the kids. A mom on Reddit, u/RedHeadRedeemed, recently sparked conversation online after making an honest confession: she secretly hates pretend play with her 3-year-old daughter.
In her Reddit post, the stay-at-home mom shared that she finds it hard to pretend play with her daughter, unlike her husband, who seems to be naturally good at it. She wrote, "I forgot how to play. She waits for me to come up with scenarios for her dolls or use my imagination to come up with something for us to play, and I just...can't." The mom confessed, "I was so good at this as a kid, but my mind likes to shoo away from it now as an adult. I dread when she says, 'Mommy, will you play with me?' because I hate it; I hate feeling like I have no idea what to do, and I am just disappointing her."
She went on to ask other parents on Reddit how they manage to engage in play with their kids and where they find the mental energy to keep up with it. Other parents online shared their thoughts and experiences in the comments section. In response to the mom's post, one Reddit user, u/Maleficent_Cloud_987, commented, “It's really hard for me to engage in the actual playing too. I love setting things up (creating a Lego world, putting together and furnishing a dollhouse, building train tracks, etc.), but the actual playing? So hard. Watching Bluey has helped me a little.”
Another person, u/DadBodGeneral, sharing her concern, said, “Take your time. Parenting will take a lifetime. No mother has everything figured out within 3 years. Please don't be too harsh on yourself!” Similarly, u/survivalScythe chimed in, “Sounds like you’re putting way too much emphasis and pressure on what you do with her. She’s 3, she isn’t going to judge you for not being creative enough.” u/Trixy_Challenger also stated, “Just remember your toddler will love spending time with you no matter what, but you don't need to entertain 24/7. It's okay to take breaks in between and do something for yourself to stop yourself from feeling drained.”
Meanwhile, in a similar moment, a mom admitted that letting her 15-week-old daughter watch TV left her questioning her parenting skills. "Part of me feels so guilty, and the other part isn’t sorry at all," she said. She let her daughter watch 'Miss Rachel' for an hour and a half while she was cleaning the house and eating her lunch, but soon, the mom guilt took over.