play with your kids

Parenthood is a straight-up adventure. These imaginative little boys of mine take me on wild rides all the time. And while there are certainly times when I want to tuck-and-roll, most of my motherhood moments are magical. My heart swells when I see them slay dragons and fight fires and tackle monsters. Sometimes I have to remember to toss my phone on the laundry pile and imagine right along with them.

While Joseph was at preschool this morning, Asher and I had a little adventure of our own. We grabbed a couple tablecloths, popped some popcorn, and tucked away to create a cuddly fort-for-two.

I’ll be honest — this past week wasn’t fun. Asher had RSV (what a nasty bug!) and Joseph had a terrible cough that kept us hiding at home when we weren’t at the doctor. I’m so thankful for a new week, with brighter eyes and happier hearts. (Clear eyes, full heart, can’t lose, right?)

There’s something about raising boys that I can’t quite put into words. They’re young, wild, and free. And somehow I get to be the one to help them uncover the world. To find the sunshine and discover their brave.

I don’t want to be the type of mama who’s too busy to play with her kids. I want to be the type of mama who says, you’re special. You matter.

Let’s go slay the dragons together.

And sometimes, being a mama means leaving the dishes in the sink and grabbing your little one’s favorite stuffed friends. It means popping some Pop Secret at 10 in the morning for a private screening of another episode of Curious George. It means choosing cuddles over chores, snuggles over to-do lists.

Hey, mama friends? Can I share a secret with you? A secret that you’ve surely heard from your grandma and your aunt and the cashier at Target?

This precious time we have with our little people? It goes fast.

It’s cliche and it’s true. It seems like I was just getting off a plane in West Africa to adopt Joseph. And wasn’t I just waddling into the hospital, eager to meet Asher?

I don’t want to get lost in memories or be so focused on the future that I miss the adventures right in front of me. I want to build towers and knock them down and build them again. I want to head to Gap for the billionth time because the knees on my jeans keep fading.

I want to be the kind of mom who spontaneously builds forts. Who finds popcorn kernels in the carpet. 

Moms (and dads): You’re doing the work of investing into little hearts. You’re modeling how to dream and how to explore. You’re showing them how to be brave and how to do hard things. Little eyes are watching you when your nose wrinkles when you laugh. They see you when close the laptop and wrap them up in a bear hug.

Here’s to spontaneous dance parties and silly popcorn fights and Monday-morning forts.

Play on.

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Disclosure: Pop Secret sponsored today’s post, but words are my own.

Need some inspiration for imaginative play with your little ones? Hop over here for a $1-off coupon for Pop Secret. (Seriously, the Movie style? Yes.) Send Pop Secret your pillow fort stories and pictures on Facebook. You can upload them right to the Pop Secret timeline and tag them #PopSecretForts. They might just share a little something back.