Have you ever interviewed one of your children? I was talking to my four year-old son the other day and had a sudden aha moment…. I should record this conversation. So, I grabbed my phone and started audio recording an interview with my preschool aged son.
Listening to it right now, it sounds like I am a podcast host with my son as the guest. The topic was…you guessed it…PLAY!
Want to hear the interview? Read on!
“Cuz It Makes Me Happy”
Mommy: Do you like it when mommy plays with you?
Son: Yeah
Why?
Cuz I like the marbles with the hippos.
So, what do you like mommy to play with you?
The hippo game.
Is there anything else you like mommy to play?
I don’t know.
What other games do you like mommy to play with you?
Um…Candy Land.
Yeah? Why?
Cuz it’s fun!
Why is it fun?
Cuz you can win!
Do you usually win?
Yeah!
You beat mommy?
Uh huh! And other people beat me.
Why do you like the hippo game?
Cuz somebody got it for me.
Oh…Uncle Bradley got it for you, didn’t he?
Yes….Grandma got Chase and she got me the toolbox.
Yeah…so in your room do you have lots of toys?
Yeah!
Do you like your toys?
Yeah!
Why?
Cuz sissy plays with me.
Sissy plays with you? Does mommy ever play with you?
Yeah…just a little bit.
Just a little bit? Should mommy play with you more?
Yeah.
Why?
I don’t know.
Why do you like it when mommy plays with you?
Cuz it makes me happy!
Why does it make you happy?
Cuz…uh!
Cuz mommy’s playing with you?
Yeah!
“Dressing Up Hats and Firefighters”
What should mommy play with you? Should we make food or drive trucks or what?
Drive trucks!
Drive trucks?
Uh huh!
Oh, where are you going to drive a truck to?
To the station.
That would be fun. We could drive a truck to the station. Does your teacher ever play with you at preschool?
No.
Would you like it if she played with you?
Yeah.
Do you think she’ll play with you sometime?
Maybe.
Why do you want your teacher to play with you?
I don’t know.
You just think it would be fun?
Uh huh!
Do your friends play with you at school?
Yeah.
And you play with sissy at home?
Yeah.
Do you play with toys in your room?
Yeah.
Where else do you play?
I don’t know.
You play outside?
Yeah. I play in my closet.
Hmmmm….what’s in your closet?
Ummm….we have dressing up hats and let’s see…firefighters. We have a rain jacket in there actually.
So, is it fun to play?
Yeah.
You get to pretend that you are things and go places and cook things?
Yeah.
Ham, Eggs, Grapes and Pizza
What do you cook for mommy?
Um, ham and eggs?
Ham and eggs?
Uh huh!
You cook ham and eggs for mommy in your little kitchen?
Uh huh!
What all do you have in your kitchen?
Um….um….let me see. Grapes!
Grapes?
Uh huh!
Do you have an apron?
Yeah!
Who made that for you?
Grandma.
Does sissy have one?
Yeah.
Does she wear it?
Yeah.
What does sissy like to cook?
She likes…I know what she likes….she likes to cook fruit!
She likes to cook fruit?
Uh huh!
What about pizza?
Uh…yeah…we have it in our microwave. Not the microwave…our oven, I mean.
Fun! Well, maybe mommy will play with you again sometime. Will that be fun?
Yeah!
OK….why is it important that kids play?
I don’t know.
Why do you like to play?
Cuz I play.
And do you learn stuff when you play?
Uh huh!
OK..love you lots! Bye!
Play With Me
Even though the answers were short and sweet during the interview with my preschool aged son, I knew what he was really saying:
- You play with me some, but I need you to play with me more.
- I don’t care what we play as long as you play with me.
- It makes me happy when you play with me.
- It would be fun to have my teacher play with me.
- I look up to you and want to learn all I can from you.
- I love it when you take the time to spend with me.
So, it is my goal to spend more time each day just playing with my kids. It’s OK if the laundry has to wait awhile or if dinner doesn’t get started on time. (We can always eat ham, eggs and grapes for dinner anyway!)
My children are growing up fast and it won’t be long before I won’t be able to play with them anymore.
I don’t want to regret not spending time playing and making memories with them while they were little.
What are your thoughts after reading this interview with my preschool aged son? Let me know in the comments below.
Don’t forget to play with your little ones (and maybe interview them too) while you can!
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