2013-12-10 11.56.23-2

It is no secret I hate the winter. I pretty much hate everything about it starting about January 1st, and now that I am a mom I find myself hating it even more than I did before. Why? Because I have decided that I SUCK as a mom in the winter. There I said it…it’s kind of freeing actually. I SUCK AS A MOM IN THE WINTER! Although freeing it’s actually a depressing realization. Even worse? Even though I know I am sucking right now, I am doing nothing to change it, because I don’t know how. How does one occupy their children during the winter months?

Let’s start with the cold. I hate it. I am unmotivated, and I am easily convinced to just sit inside. During warmer months I love to motivate for a walk or to play in the back yard, but this winter it has been bitter cold, wet and snowy and I have done none of that. Do you bring your kid to the playground in the winter? I haven’t. I’d like to say that I do because they say kids need fresh air, and every day my son wakes up and says “what are we doing today”? and I say “what do you want to do today” and he says “go on the playground”…and I tell him…”I’m sorry sweetie. It’s too cold to go on the playground”. They haven’t even played on the outdoor playground at his school because it’s been so bitter cold!

I want to be that mom that has crafts and great play inside ideas to occupy my kid while we are stuck inside, but I’m not. I’m not for two reasons. First and most importantly is that I can’t get my son to pay attention long enough to do any activity. I WAS that mom. I would sit my son down for a craft and he’d paint one stroke with the brush and leave the table. I’d buy the stuff set it all up and it would occupy him for all of 5 minutes. So I quit. It’s frustrating to put a ton of effort into some activity only to have your kid not care one bit about it.

So what do we do? We watch TV…we watch movies and we cuddle. All fun and games, but what if I am making him a couch potato? What if I am doing wrong and not “engaging” my kid enough?

And that is why I suck in the winter. I don’t hear him complaining much, actually not at all, but I feel like I should be doing more. I feel like I should be making more of an effort but I still don’t. Instead I just sit at home hoping that spring will come early this year. Actually for now I just wish it would be like 35 degrees rather than feel like -10. Is that asking too much?