Best Mom Tip #120: Play fetch

You know, play fetch with your kids. I don't actually own a dog. My son has decided that he is a puppy and he keeps bringing me things for him to fetch. I throw a ball, he pants and crawls off to go retrieve it in his mouth. He insists that I pet him and tell him he's a good dog.

I have mixed emotions about this game. One the one hand, it is somewhat dehumanizing, it makes me feel oddly lazy, and I would be embarrassed for other people to see me treating my kid like a dog.

On the other hand, he really likes it, it gives him something to do that uses up his energy, and I can play the game with one hand while still sitting down. These are all very important in my book.

Also, it usually prevents me from having to say things like "the baby is NOT part of your obstacle course!" That comment came after Griffin decided to jump over his 7-month-old brother Evil Knievel-style. He cleared the baby, but still.

This is not a game I have found in "Games for Increasing Your Child's IQ" or even "Games that Won't Get You Investigated by DFCS," but I think we'll stick with it. At least I can be sure he's not hot wiring the car if he's busy playing fetch.