This newsletter has never been about parenting advice - I’m NOT a parenting person, I’m not an expert, I’m probably more lost than you are, I just happen to not be able to shut up about it.
I am, however, a working mom of two kids under 7. Two kids who are on the brink of being to entertain themselves for long stretches of time, but we’re certainly not there yet. Two kids who need help getting snacks, putting together Legos, one kid who can’t read yet and needs me to read to her - kids who need mom constantly. I’m not complaining, I know one day not too far from now I’ll miss that desperately.
Last month, with the Thanksgiving holiday, and this month, with nearly every Monday or Friday a “pupil-free day” at my kids’ school, followed by a two-ish week holiday break, I’m a mom trying to sort out what to do with them on all those days when they don’t have school, and I have to work. I don’t have this totally figured out, and I’m honestly begging for any other suggestions that might keep my kids occupied - my number one tip on this list actually came from a reader comment!
But anyway, here are some of the things I do to encourage….independent time… in my kids when I can’t take them somewhere and I need to work (and I don’t want to give them screen time - I’m not against screen time, we just use it in small, strategic doses).
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