DH's "quality time

I'm with Mason all day enterntaining him, playing music, going for walks, tummy time, take him out shopping, etc. DH comes home and after his shower I give him to DH and his "quality" time after not seeing him all day is holding Mason while staring at the TV. Maybe even multi-task... hold him with one hand, watch TV and type on the laptop with the other hand. So I tell him to talk to Mason... All I hear is "Hey Buddy, Hey, Hey Buddy"


Without trying to complain I explain to him he has to talk to Mason. Tell him about his day and to call him by his name or this poor kid is going to think his name is Buddy... which, by the way, he calls the dog that too.

Re: DH's "quality time

OMG, I cannot stop laughing. My DH does the EXACT SAME THING! I came into the living room once to find them both slumped over, DS in DH's lap, eyes glazed over while staring at the TV. I told him no more TV or we will end up raising the world's tiniest couch potato.

Re: DH's "quality time

lmao! i'm sorry but reading your post sounds exactly like my situation. DH would get the baby and stare at his laptop. i'd explain to him that the baby needs interaction and needs to hear voices and all he would do is say "hi baby!"

i promise you it does get better. at least w my DH, the lack of things that a baby is capable of doing limited him to not knowing what to do or say since allison has gotten bigger and alot more mischevious, their quality time is alot more interactive

Re: DH's "quality time

are we all married to the same man?

Re: DH's "quality time

DH used to do the same thing! but now that DS is older he gets down on the floor and plays with him.

if you pop in a baby einstein DVD will your DH know the difference?

Re: DH's "quality time

Posted by randella

are we all married to the same man?

Message edited 7/22/2009 10:07:42 PM.

Re: DH's "quality time

Posted by headoverheels

DH used to do the same thing! but now that DS is older he gets down on the floor and plays with him.

if you pop in a baby einstein DVD will your DH know the difference?

Re: DH's "quality time

My DH bathes them, or if its a night with no bath, he gets them ready for bed. He reads them a story every night. I told him early on I wanted him to do this stuff because his time to bond with them is so limitied.

Re: DH's "quality time

as dave gets home at 9:15 three days a week - there's not a whole lot of quality time on those days..so he always takes the feedings at night and plays with her then...but ALWAYS with the tv on. on his days off - he spends a LOT of time with her - as i've been trying to get things done on those days...

Re: DH's "quality time

This used to be DH.
As DS got older, it got better!
Now DS is 2 and 1/2 and its awesome!
They play, "talk" on the phone while DH is at work, go outside in the yard, even go on walks.

Re: DH's "quality time

It definitely changes over time. DS is 6, and I go to karate class with him (and help out in the class) on the weekends, we play Mario Kart on the Wii together (since we're boys, we are always on the Blue team. If DW plays with him, she has to be on the Red team.... ), we use the computer together, play outside, read books, etc, etc.

With DD, we talk a lot, read, play, etc.

Once they start interacting, it's easier to interact with them.

Re: DH's "quality time

Posted by bonitachyc

lmao! i'm sorry but reading your post sounds exactly like my situation. DH would get the baby and stare at his laptop. i'd explain to him that the baby needs interaction and needs to hear voices and all he would do is say "hi baby!"

i promise you it does get better. at least w my DH, the lack of things that a baby is capable of doing limited him to not knowing what to do or say since allison has gotten bigger and alot more mischevious, their quality time is alot more interactive

Re: DH's "quality time

I acutallly think it was a good thing that my DH had "down time" with my DD. I think it is important to also teach your children that Mommy and Daddy can relax and watch a tv show. Yes, not all the time, but since I was the one reading, singing, playing, going for walks, talking to DD, etc. I think it was nice for DD to have downtime too with my DH.

As long as their minds are stimulated for much of the day I think it is important to just relax and hang out with your DC as well.

Re: DH's "quality time

Posted by randella

are we all married to the same man?

Re: DH's "quality time

Posted by randella

are we all married to the same man?

Re: DH's "quality time

Okay just to give you the flip side of this... how old is your dc?

Honestly when my ds was a newborn/baby... i always felt funny talking to him. Of course i'd kiss him to death, but i don't think i could have a full on conversation with him. I just felt awkward doing that. But then again, i was never one to talk to my belly when i was pregnant either.

So yeah you might like him to talk to him, but keep in mind he might feel uncomfortable/awkward doing it. I know i did and i'm the mom.

Re: DH's "quality time

I think it's tough at that age-as he gets older and starts doing things it will get better and you'll see more interaction. And by older, I just mean a few months.

What helped DH and I "talk" more with DD is to actually narrate what we were doing or read to here (I would read her my People magazine and DH would read her the sports highlights on ESPN ).

It gets better-it's probably easier for you since you are with her more and talk for yourself as much as her whereas DH is talking to other people throughout the day

Re: DH's "quality time

Posted by CrankyPants

I think it's tough at that age-as he gets older and starts doing things it will get better and you'll see more interaction. And by older, I just mean a few months.

What helped DH and I "talk" more with DD is to actually narrate what we were doing or read to here (I would read her my People magazine and DH would read her the sports highlights on ESPN ).

It gets better-it's probably easier for you since you are with her more and talk for yourself as much as her whereas DH is talking to other people throughout the day

Re: DH's "quality time

Posted by randella

are we all married to the same man?