Hobbies For Mom

Dr. Donald Winnicott is credited for coining the  term ‘good enough mother.’ He believed that for adults to engage in a creative hobby is akin to what play is for children. A creative hobby can give mothers a creative outlet for their emotions, ideas and thoughts and help them to structure their inner worlds.

I have realized the truth behind this in parenting my four children. At first I believed that I wouldn’t be able to continue with old hobbies or start with new ones because my toddlers will be into everything and destroy what I was trying to do. That was until I actually tried doing mosaics and cross-stitch with them around. I was surprised to learn that if I channeled their interest in the right direction and provide them with appropriate similar materials; they can keep themselves busy along side me for extended periods of time. Here are some practical tips on how to engage in a hobby in spite of having a toddler around:

• Choose flexible projects – I prefer mosaics and cross-stitch because I could leave whatever I was doing at a moment’s notice and come back to it whenever I needed.
• Keep all materials on a high surface – When I am in the middle of a project, I designate a corner of the kitchen or a section of the dining room table especially for that project. This means that no matter long it takes me to finish the project, I don’t have to unpack or put away the materials countless times. If you don’t have enough space, you can try a crate that is easy to open. Make sure that you can be working in no time if you have a few minutes to spare.
• Invest in toddler versions of your tools – I made sure my toddlers had some safe tiles, shells, rocks and other materials to experiment with while I did my project. I gave each a little piece of hardboard and they arranged their treasures to their heart’s content. I got something done that was important to me, and they had a sensory rich experience.
• Keep messy or dangerous work for yourself– I made sure that I did the chipping and grouting in mosaics when my toddlers weren’t around.                                                                                                                                    

Here are some other hobbies for moms with toddlers to consider: quilting, crochet, drawing, polymer clay and gourmet cooking.