Husband told me I was a bad housewife

Independent play is when children play by themselves with a parent nearby. It is an important type of play. Families shouldn't feel guilty about giving their kids a chance to play on their own. Children of all ages can engage in independent play. This isn't leaving them recklessly to do their own thing. This is leaving them in a curated environment much like a classroom. Even in cramped spaces you should be able to designate a small area for the child to play safely unsupervised even if it's just a playyard.

Bumps and scratches are bound to happen. You can't prevent every injury, hurting yourself is part of the learning experience too, but you can prevent them from being but in a situation where they would come to serious harm. If you caught your toddler every time they fell they would never learn how to get up on their own. It's terrifying to imagine a world where nobody can multitask. If you make things manageable such as breaking down the cleaning into small daily tasks it really isn't that hard. Being able to play alone is a great way to build a foundation to keep oneself calm and engaged, without assistance from others. This can also help to build patience, emotional control, and overall self-reliance, which helps with everyday tasks like waiting your turn in line, or calming down for sleep. These children who require you to be their personal play monkey all day are learning a great fact, that the world does indeed revolve around them.

/r/beyondthebump Thread Parent