Surviving The Modern Playtime

Many of us have the habit of contrasting our experiences against those that our kids have. We say, "In our time, the toys were not as sophisticated... we had to be resourceful and imaginative... blah-blah-blah." Our kids don't want to hear that; you know why?

When our kids play, the toys they hold logically stand for the real things: having a plastic stove with a pan means that your child is cooking, and that you are expected to taste it very, very soon after. A couple of spring-action Porsches in your son's hands show that he will probably experiment with the racing culture, and that you are expected to oppose vehemently, and that he is also expected to take that with a grain of salt (but not from his sister's playthings.)

Your refusal to play with them could push them into thinking any of the following: a) you're a heartless, good-for-nothing snob; b) you are probably a lousy playmate (and hold on--- this is a very bad thing, don't go assuming this is ok); c) you want to play with them, but you're just too busy, and they're not just worth your time.

Let us admit, first of all, that we are indeed ignorant about many of their new gadgets. Those toys from the fastfood meals, I honestly don't know how to assemble myself. To think that I handled the advertising and some marketing of the McDonald's Happy Meal for almost 2 of my singlehood years, that is quite embarrassing. Becoming a parent somehow made me detached from my natural skill and interest in toys.

Second, if you are even reading this blog, this possibly means that you are a caring parent (no, not heartless or snobbish), but sometimes really good-for-nothing! You don't know the trends among kids, you think a toy iPod has something to do with pirates, and you can't tell Jimmy Neutron from Danny Phantom. Guilty?

Third, you have a gut-wrench when you see that collector's item Barbie is having a bubble bath with the dishes or when you realize that the 1,000 piece Lego set has been divided among 4 neighbors you don't even like. Had you done this as a kid, you'd have been punished to kneel on mongo seeds (uncooked, of course) for 10 minutes with arms in the air.

Here are a few things you might want to consider the next time your kids ask you to play with them:

1. YOU CAN ALWAYS IMPOSE YOUR TASTE. We are talking about your kids, your genes. If in case they are not biologically your own, it is still your culture that they are immersed in. They are very open to what you like, they would very much like to try them--- granted that these kids look up to you and not away from you. I couldn't take Nickelodeon's goo-baths or Cartoon Network's slapstick-ally painful comedy, so I introduced my daughter to the 60's Disney version of Sleeping Beauty, and she totally went nuts. She used to view it around 4 times weekly. Now, she watches other things, too, but we sometimes recite the parts we have memorized from Princess Aurora's fairy tale just for the heck of it.

So, if you really love certain sports like badminton or capoeira, then teach your child a little. He or she will follow through, and you'll be back to your spectator spot sooner than you wish. (Oh, you better--- shame on you for doing capoeira on your own kid!)

This, however, also means that you must be observant about your kids' tastes also. Try to watch their teevee shows and see if you might enjoy them, too. These shows come in handy when trying to tutor them for lessons or social etiquette. You can closely monitor which shows you should discourage them from viewing, and you can also win some popularity points for knowing what's hip in the realm of the kids.

2. SET A TIME LIMIT If you are really tight with your free time, it's still not a reason to ignore your kids. Negotiate with them in terms of minutes. When you're a kid, 5 minutes is a lifetime.

3. LIKEN PLAYTIME TO REAL LIFE I would disagree even with professionals who want a clear delineation between play and reality when it comes to kids. This is a contributing reason for child abuse: maniacs use the word 'play' and stress that it is not the same as reality, i.e., it is only play. That alone should raise your goosebumps! If you also do not want your hard-earned moolah in the form of branded toys to go to waste, then you should explain to your kids that these toys represent reality. These toys, if used and kept properly, could help hem be a chef someday, or a race car driver, or a soldier in Iraq, and so on. Personally though, I prefer not to indulge my kids in toys promoting violence.

No human has ever skipped the fantastic stage of playtime. Naturally, we will have different toys, styles of play, situations, and mentalities about the matter as more generations spring out. Please do not think about the child in you when you play now--- think about the child right before you. And the next time you are asked to put on Robin's cape and mask, don't complicate things. No, you cannot be Batman or Catwoman. And no, you cannot say no, at least for the next 5 minutes. Remember that you really have no right to take away the magic from playing just because you're no longer a child.