Meghan Trainor has a sponsorship with LEGO on their new LEGO DOTS. We are a LEGO house, so I checked the DOTS out. I guess they’re wearable. It looks like you can design desk and school accessories in addition to bracelets and patches for backpacks and jackets. Meghan was talking about how amazing they are because of the sensory element, which is great for her one-year-old son Riley. Meghan said that her therapist has taught her how to be totally present with Riley. And, the best time to do that, according to Meghan, is during playtime. So I get why interactive toys like LEGOs would be great, because they help you keep your mind in the present. Although, Riley being one and LEGO DOTS being a choking hazard is another really good reason to stay present during playtime.
If the Play-Doh colors don’t get all mixed together and the crayons stay sharp (and unbroken) and the kids’ hands remain clean after playtime, then one question remains — did anyone have any fun? Kids are hard-wired to get messy and do things their own way, something that Meghan Trainor is definitely embracing with her son Riley, 1, whom she shares with husband Daryl Sabara. The “Bad for Me” singer tells SheKnows that she has “no rules” during playtime.
Trainor takes playtime seriously, following her therapist’s advice. “My therapist taught me that when I am with my kid, to be totally present in that moment,” she says. “The best time to do that is when he is playing, and I love to join in on that with him.”
She’s not the only one who still loves playing with toys. Her husband is just as “goofy” as she is. When asked who’s more of a “kid at heart,” her or the Spy Kids star, she responds, “That’s tough — we both like to have fun and are super goofy together and with our son.
“But ultimately, I think Daryl is more of a kid at heart,” she adds. “He is an amazing dad and I love watching him play with Riley. No one makes him laugh harder than his dad!”
And yet another reason I failed as a mother. Playtime was hard for me. Not all the time, I liked it when we pretended to look for dragons in Griffith Park or making up creatures for our exotic animal safari but sitting on the floor doing general kid play was laborious for me. I was rarely fully present. I was present when the kids talked to me, whether it was stories, dreams or bad/good experiences from the day. I still am. But I’m sure Meghan’s right, playtime is when I should have been fully ‘there’.
It’s good that Meghan loves playtime so much because she’s going to be doing a lot more of it, if she gets her way. Meghan told Us Weekly she hopes to be “knocked up” by 2023. She said she and husband Daryl are trying to cram in all the “fun stuff” they can now, but she’s penciled in getting pregnant on her calendar in time for the holidays.
Riley got glasses! He’s so cute.
Photo credit: Cover Images and Instagram
Riley is adorable.
Being able to be ‘fully present’ is a luxury.
Exactly! Unless one has someone to help with housework, meal planning/making, laundry, errands, etc., one cannot be “totally present” all of the time. I feel like this kind of “advice” just adds to the guilt that most parents feel on a daily basis.
I think it’s not about being present all of the time – but being present during playtime. I know that for me it was really difficult to be present during endless roleplay (my daughter’s favorite) 🙄 I tried because it was so important to her but I don’t like roleplay and caught myself thinking about things I wanted/needed to do… It’s about mindfulness I think🤔
The world could do with less parenting advice from first time wealthy white lady moms. Just saying.
I grew up thinking moms don’t play, that’s what dads do. Now as a parent, I know why. She was the default parent, as am I.
My son had all my available time. Anything he wanted to do, I was down for. From noon til 5 he was at Montessori. I was at NPR. His dad picked him up at 5 and I was home by 6:30. Dinner was made, games were played. Potty time and bath time, evening call to Grandma and Grammy, book, prayers, light out. Every weeknight. Weekends he had farm time, seeing our Morgan horse, going on the Washington DC Metro train, costumes and building things, running in the open field below our house, the adjacent public playground, the community pool—-it’s not brain surgery, Meghan Trainor. It’s from love.
Her again. At least she’s not talking about pooping next to her husband.
I was just listening to a podcast this morning about being present with kids. One of the “experts” was saying being fully present just 12 minutes with your child without distraction is so beneficial to helping the child feel more connected and loved. I try to be present with our toddler but it’s hard. Hearing that a short period of time can make a difference is motivation and also makes me feel better about my efforts.
Unsolicited advice below:
Some days, you will get those 12 minutes. Some days, it is just not going to happen. Some days, you are going to do those 12 and more and it’ll be magical. Some days, your kid is going to scream at you and get a time out instead of those 12 minutes. Some days, you are going to do five minutes because you absolutely need 5 other minutes to yourself before you burst in to tears.
And it is ALL OKAY.
You’re doing great.
Co-sign 💯
Please don’t get me wrong. Children need us.