susannadkm

My boys are also 2 and 4 (plus I have an infant), and I give myself permission to not entertain them. I will suggest they play Legos if they are bored, but otherwise I’ve explicitly told them it’s not my job to play with them. However, I do give each son 10 minutes a day that I will play whatever they want, and I will usually drop whatever I’m doing to read if they bring me a book. I also think it’s easier for them to play by themselves with their toys if they are in a tidy/emptier room (ie pack away most of their toys). If it’s not too cold and I don’t have too much housework, I take them to a playground and try to read while they play. Visiting the library is always great, albeit challenging with multiple kids. I also like to do a few minutes of reading instruction with my oldest every day, followed by one episode from a show.