Do you get time to spend "quality play" time with your kids?

[Curly]

Yes, this is me. Today was one of those days and I always feel really guilty when I haven't spent much quality time with DS. I tend to try and make sure I keep up a running commentary with him, especially if he is watching TV, because I don't like long periods of silence or him staring at the TV.

It's quite hard at the moment because I'm due to give birth in 2 weeks - in the morning I feel really tired and nauseous so I kind have to sit fairly quietly while I wait for that to pass. By early afternoon my back hurts and going for a walk to the park, playing at the park and walking back is often too much for me to even think about, bearing in mind my limited bladder capacity at the moment. So DS is getting lots of stories read to him at the moment!!

I do make sure we have one outing a day though, even if that is just to the park or the shops or pushing him around the streets on his bike, or a little playdate with someone from mother's group. I used to do 2 outings a day but I can't physically manage that at the moment. At the shops I make sure we stop at the playcentre and the toy shop so he can play with the Thomas the Tank Engine display table, which he loves and I let him play pretty much as long as he wants because he doesn't get a nap (and I get to sit down). We do Gymbaroo one day a week and I also have my mother's group so he gets to play with other kids. Fortunately DH gets home from work early (he starts early) so he and DS then play horsey back rides and that kind of thing before dinner and bathtime, and DS is in bed between 6.00 and 6.30pm.

I've been trying to keep the house looking somewhat presentable and that puffs me out as well. Most days if I manage to keep the kitchen bench wiped and get the beds made I'm happy but then that means on the weekend I break my neck to do a proper clean of the house and it takes ages because DS either wants to help or I'm just too tired and my back is too sore to do it quickly. DH tries to keep DS out of the way but DS just loves to help mop and vacuum.

I'm so aware that with a new baby on the scene things will probably get worse so this is the main reason we are getting a cleaner in, starting tomorrow actually. I feel like this will really take the pressure off so I can spend more time with DS and the baby and if the place looks like a hovel it doesn't matter so much because the cleaner will be coming and they will fix it. I won't have the pressure of thinking that the worse the house looks, the more I will have to do to fix it.

I try to do little bursts of quality playtime. DS knows I never say no to a book so he often will bring me a book to read. If he is playing cars or trains I will join in for about 10 minutes and then maybe slip away to make the bed and then come back again. So no...I guess I am not much help...no real routine to speak of, tends to get made up as I go along...and I'm outsourcing for help!