I don’t enjoy kiddie activities, does it make me a bad mother?

Yesterday being a weekend, I wanted to take my kids out somewhere, more of a ‘real’ place where my children could enjoy rather than look at things and decide on which ones to buy and bring back home, or be in a super-controlled environment.

However, even as I was planning where to go, I realized my husband was already busy making plans with the kids. And as with most of the time, the plan involved going to (where else, but) a mall.

It is one of those kid-centric places where an entire artificial world is created, and children are the main citizens. They get to create food in factories, work as doctors, carers, fire tenders, deliver things, earn money, and do so much more. It is a fun place for kids, there is absolutely no doubt about it.

My children have been there many times in the past, and in fact, I too have recommended the place to other parents who wanted to take their kids to such activity-based areas.

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But the thing is, I am one of those parents (I know we are a very small minority) who just cannot tolerate being in such a place for more than 5 minutes. Okay, to be honest, half an hour.

But that is when my patience and interest and energy levels seeps out of my body.

I am not like one of those parents who can spend an entire day at a gaming zone, or park, or kid activity centre and actually enjoy being there. Or want to come back again and again and again.

No, that is just not me!

While I did do all the required amount of smiling and cheering and showing an interest in all that was going on, I finally told my kids that yes, it was enough for me, and now all that mamma wanted to do was take a break and grab a cup of coffee and relax.

And that definitely made me a bad parent (goodness, the stress!).

Finally, I told my husband that this was my last visit to the place, I was already cranky and down with a massive migraine and my legs and back were giving way after a five hour play schedule! I asked him how he was feeling and he said he had a great time, and he would love to come back again, right the next day! When I said I could never come back, he said, “Oh I can, I love to see my kids happy.”

That made me think – is that what it means to be a good parent? How many hours you can spend with kids in such places, even if you are not interested at all? I think I will go ahead with my thoughts that say that as long as I can bring a smile on their face, make them see the different aspects of life and be there for them always, I am still doing good as a parent.

Am I, or am I not? What do you think moms and dads?

Also Read Here’s why I don’t feel guilty of taking a break from mommyhood