Sometimes when my kids come up to me and say this sentence ‘Mummy will you play with me?’ I think – oh fucking hell please not again.
I realise that sounds a bit mean so when considering my reply I start having a bit of a moral panic…
Before you brand me a total bitch please rest assured that there are lots of things I do like doing with my kids but imaginative play ranks pretty fucking low. These are the reasons why:-
1. You always have to be the crappest toy.
At the beginning of the game you will be asked to pick what guy/girl/train/dinosaur you want to be. WARNING: this is just to give you the illusion of choice – the child is toying with you, there is only one real answer.
For example, say you are playing cars (a game where you push cars around on the floor going brmmm for hours on end, a personal favourite) which of the following cars you would like to be?
ME: Oh great I’ll choose green as that’s my favourite colour!
Child: No that is my favourite!
Me: Ok… red?
Child: NO!
Me: The blue one then… please?
Child: NO MINE!!!!!!!
Me: Yellow? :(
Child: Yes great choice Mummy!
Let’s take another example where you are playing Barbies. In order to speed the process up a bit you should just choose the naked from the waist down doll, with biro on her arms who looks like she’s been on an all-night bender. And no I’m not sure what happened to her leg.
2. You don’t actually get to play.
If you try and contribute creatively in ANY WAY you will be shot down immediately. Your job is to listen very carefully, know your place and always remember – you are doing everything wrong!
3. You will be terrified by the contents of your young child’s mind.
Hmmm how to say this nicely… Children are sick in the head. I will bet my bottom dollar that at some point the game will take a nasty turn and involve the murder, torture, ridicule and humiliation of their own toys.
For example how about playing DEATH COPTER? A bunch of friends go out on a lovely helicopter ride that goes hideously wrong when one friend decides to throw the others out of the helicopter whilst laughing manically as he watches them die.
What about NAKED TEA PARTY? It is dolly’s birthday party and they are going out to celebrate with tea and cake, unfortunately the tea shop owner strips them naked and forces them drink increasingly bizarre and disgusting beverages for days on end.
4. It goes on FOREVER.
You might think that after a while the children will be bored of re-enacting the same scene of Pups Save a Pool Day from Paw Patrol again and again and again but you would be wrong as children NEVER get bored of holding their parents hostage.
You may be tempted to try and have a quick look at your phone for some escapism but be warned they will ALWAYS catch you…
Congratulations! You are a terrible human, proceed directly to the naughty step, do not pass go and do not collect £200.
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P.S. I have a new book OUT NOW! You can nab it on Amazon here or in your lovely local bookshop :)
Brilliant, So glad I’m not the only one! Being on the gin and lots of it
My daughter is 10 and still wants me to be a dog so she can train me and throw balls for me. When does it end? This is what we get for creating a society where kids can’t just wander out and find other kids to play with.
I actually do have to be the yellow car in car races with my toddler, just as long as I set off 2nd they’ll be no trouble.
Oh my God THANK YOU !!! I needed to read this today I feel so much less guilty! Thank you for always making us laugh
Oh my freaking heck!! I found you early this morning and read this . I have a 4 yr old granddaughter who is my buddy, we hang out together during the week while mom and dad are working.
I have been the voice for some of her dolls.. Baby Strawberry, Princess, Baby Alive , for a couple of years.
There are days when I honestly (mentally) grit my teeth when I’m called on to have conversations via an inanimate object.
Thank you for the early morning laugh !
I’m wiping tears of laughter off my face! This is exactly what it is like!
I just read this, slightly appropriated, to my three and a half year old son.
“If we were playing card which one can I be”
“Dat one” points to the yellow car.
Scrolling down he point at DEATH CHOPER, laughs saying “funny funny”
I play Batman for hours…my character is in “jail” the whole game.
Friggin games. Hate them. There’s only one game I love and it’s ‘lets Pretend you’re at my massage parlour and I will rub your feet.’ But I only ever say yes if they play by my rules:
“ Yes, and I know. Let’s pretend it’s a deaf and dumb salon’
Sorted.
Love, love, LOVE your sense of humour x