Playing Hooky
Posted on August 19, 2009 by FoBaM-Jamie
I know, I know – hasn’t even started and I’m already looking for ways to break the rules. The thing is that I often feel like my life with my daughter is completely over-booked. Between my work agenda, her school and activity schedule, all the day-to-day errands and chores that have to be managed, and the time she spends with her dad and my parents; she and I have very little down time to just kick back and do nothing.
Recently, under the guise of “school shopping,” my daughter and I played a little hooky. We started the day by hitting the clearance racks at a local kids clothing store where we scored a few end-of-summer bargains that will transition into fall quite nicely. We followed that with a ramble up and down every aisle of our local Target, always a good way to end up with a cart full of things that weren’t on my shopping list. We then broke for lunch at a chain restaurant with talking taxidermy on the wall, and then – to escape the heat – wandered more-or-less aimlessly around the newly renovated mall, stopping into not one, but two cosmetic stores where we each tried out products and felt very glam.
This morning, although there were plenty of tasks trying to lure me to the laptop, I took another “hooky break” to just sit and cuddle with my peanut. She’d woken up a little early, and was more than happy to curl up sleepily in my lap on the sofa while we watched a darling Little Bear episode together. Those few lovely moments of mother-daughter bliss were worth so much more than getting a head start on the day’s task list. There’s something so fun about the conspiratorial nature of skipping out on responsibilities and routine together. And there’s nothing that says “I love you” like putting the rest of your life on hold for a few minutes or an afternoon of quality together time.
Do you encourage your kids to play hooky? Do you play along? What’s your favorite way to enjoy your escape? Do you play hooky from work as well?
Definitely I think that playing hooky together once in a while teached children many things, mostly, that there are bigger issues in life than perfect attendance awards at the end of the year. MY mom did this with me once in a while, and it taught me that she loved to spend time with me…it also helped us bond. Now that she is gone, I cherish those memories. I don’t think it teaches irresponsibility, if is it conducted right. The child needs to know this is only a special occasion…and not whenever s/he wants. It helped and still helps me keep things in perspective…so I don’t get too upset over little things…remember that I can pick up where I left off, and the world will still go ’round and ’round when I get back on.
Totally play hooky once in a while! My parents never did that with my brother or I when we were kids. I had friends you got to play hooky with their parents and they always had so much fun on those days. It’s something I plan on doing with my son when he starts going to school.
Totally play hooky, my parents never did that with my but it is definatly something that I will very occassionally do with my kids once they start school! I feel that it teaches them that there is more important things to life then the constant need to have your nose in the books, sometimes the best learning comes from experiences. It also shows your kids just how much you care about them and the time and memories you get to make and share with them, its all about bonding and quality time!
My daughter is only 11 weeks old but there are days when I feel like I don’t spend enough time with her. Right now I work part time and I don’t want to miss those precious milestones while she is so little. When she reaches school age, which will be here before I know it, I’m sure there will be days when we “play hooky” and spend some quality Mommy-daughter time together. I am close with my mom and I want to have the same kind of relationship with my daughter.
Playing Hooky definetely! With your last breath you will NOT say ” I wish I had worked more.” You will say instead ” I wish I had spent more time with my family, my children!”
i love have a mommy and me day with my little girl,my son is to old for that but we still do some thing fun.
Play hookey! Love it, and do it whenever a situation arises that would be fun. Kids have to learn to have fun, and that it is ok to take a break sometimes. It doesn’t happen often, but it’s even better if you can do it with just one of your kids at a time. Makes special memories for them. The other day it was way too hot to cook, so I made “blizzards” for dinner using just vanilla ice cream, and butterfinger candy bars. The kids were thrilled. Live a little, and break the rules every now and then!
It’s all about a balance. You HAVE TO teach your kids the importance of responsibility, however, they need to know that it’s ok to break a few rules as well.
playing hooky is fun . me and my daughter love it. its well time spent together with just the 2 of us.
Our son is going to be 16 in 2 1/2 months and we play hooky every day. It’s called homeschooling and ours is a form of eclectic homeschooling. But that doesn’t mean that we don’t do anything, it mainly means that we have fun, most of the time, doing it. When he was much younger, before he hit the teen years, you could find us laying on our bellies on the floor, reading books or doing manipulative math. Maybe we’d go out for a walk in our then country neighborhood and look under rocks for bugs, or in the pond for gamboozie, or try to identify wildflowers, birds and other wild things. One time a bob cat crossed our path.
I realize that homeschooling is not for everyone but…, it has worked very well for us and has made it so much easier to play hooky and still learn.
Just like adults need R&R, so do kids. The mind thinks more clearly when it has time to reprogram itself. This is only achieved through relaxation. Go for the Hooky!
I as a mother teach our daughter to stay focused on her goals even though she is 8 yrs old. Yes I tell her there is a time for play and a time to buckle down and get the job done. She is a well rounded little girl ad knows how to balance the two. Something most adults cannot do.
playing hooky definately!!! we all need a break once in a while!!! even if its just a 1/2 day hooky!!
I have never played hooky from work….but definitely from responsibilities!! Yesterday I had to work 2nd shift…Instead of spending all morning cleaning and running errands I snuggled and played with my peanut who is 6 months old today!!
I LOVE playing hookie..unfortunately i don’t get to do too much of it with three! I do make a point of letting all 3 of my girls play around in my bed while i hang and watch cartoons with them some mornings..just to get a bit more cuddle time in before we get moving. I think i’m going try more often..as i’d love for them to have some fun memories of hanging around with mom v/s always having the hustle and bustle of busy days.
I love playing hookey with my 2 1/2 year old from work, responsibilities, and life. We just cuddle while listening to her cartoons, or play with what she wants to play. I let her take on the direction of the day and at the end, we have grown closer and bonded longer than we would have had I been selfish with my own needs and the needs of the world. Instead, I focus on the needs of my Baby Girl’s.
My daughter’s are 19 and 20 now and I still play hooky when they get time off from school and their summer jobs! I have been trying to go to school and have been doing great except one of my daughters was home for one week after being gone all summer SO I just took the week off and will refocus next week. I can’t concentrate when they are home and I just want to be with them! Some things will never change!!
Every year my son and I would take one or two hooky days to spend the day together.This started in elementary schooland continued through Jr. high.I would take a day off from work he from shool and we would go to the zoo or the beach depending on the time of year.I always explained to him that occasionally these days were needed so we could spend quality time together,but we couldn’t do it all the time.My son and I are very close and will continue to spend time together,even though he starts college in a few days. : )
That was so sweet to read,my son is almost 15 and he enjoys doing things with me still. I look forward to many more happy years together even when he goes to college like your son
My mother always told us to go to school if we felt a little “off” (puking, fever etc… meant stay home). She would then let us take “mental health”
days when we would just hang out together, go to the outlet mall, see my sister already in college, watch movies, just be. I continue this with my kids. Only my son is in school right now, but it is important to steal those days if only to show him, he’s worth breaking all the rules!
My oldest daughter is 27 ,my son is 23 and my twin girls are 18.From when my youngest was in school I gave all my kids 2 mental health (that’s what I called them) a year.I mean every job gives you personal days, so why shouldn’t kids get them .With so much going on in life in general you can always take time out for the Greatest gifts God has bestowed on us to love ,enjoy and relish in the day with.It is something they never forget,like lunch box love notes.Life IS good.
peace~~
My daughter is 8. The only time we played “hooky” so far was when we went to Disney World last year. It was definitly worth taking time off of school for. Best time we ever had together and memories to last a life time. I also brought her to school late a few times when she was having a bad morning – gave her a little time to relax, get a little snuggle time in and a few extra hugs.
HOOKY!! I’m proud to say that we have played hooky with the kids on more than one occasion. My husband travels in his work and there have been several times that the kids and I would go with him.
We have always encouraged our children to be good students but, they also know that there is nothing that can take the place of family and sweet treasured memories.
Funny that I just posted on how important attendance is! But as a mom, I can see how having a special “hooky” day with your kids! Especially, if they always do well in school…it’s kind of like a reward!
I THINK ALL MOMS SHOULD PLAY HOOKIE WITH THEIR KIDS AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR THEY THINK IT IS GREATEST THING MISSING SCHOOL AND GETTING YOU TO THEMSELVES AND OF COURSE GETTING TO DO SOMETHING COOL LIKE GOING TO BEACH TO SEE MOMMOM OR GOING N.C. FOR BIBLEQUIZZING TOURNAMENTS WHEN EVERYONE ELSE IS AT SCHOOL I REMEMBER MY MOM BEGGED US TO STAY HOME WITH HER ALL THE TIME AND WE WOULDNT WE WANTED PERFECT ATTENDANCE WE MISSED OUT THANKS GOD MY KIDS JUMP AT IT