My daughter is only 7 months but I spend time with other kids in my family and I'm a teacher of young primary age kids - I have found that gardening is a great way to keep kids entertained without having to pack up and go out. A veggie or herb garden is good, but even just weeding and watering whatever you have in your garden already helps to get the kids outside and get some fresh air. Even my 7 month old loves just sitting on the lawn outside and watching leaves move in the breeze. Also, for craft activities and lots of other ideas, you could try these links (I have used ideas from these sites for my classes): http://www.dltk-teach.com/books/index.htm http://www.kidinfo.com/student_leisure/hobbies.html Good luck!

Hi and take a load off sweety,

As you can see by all the responses you have recieved all of us mum's feel that way from time to time,,,,It definitely does not mean you are a bad mum.

I have just the thing to help you. Have a look at the link below -

http://liswal.kidcare101.hop.clickbank.net/?tid=LIS123

I know whata struggle it can be especially if they have you up early in the morning. I try to do some craft everyday, We all do some drawing or colouring in or make a collage using things from the garden or in the kitchen( straws, cupcake papers). Crayola has a great site with lots of craft ideas. We go to the park where we might play soccer or frizbee, maybe running races. We talk about nature and what we can see,colours, textures. The kids love helping with the washing up and drying of dishes. Sorting the washing into colours . Putting the washing away they help decide what belongs to who and where it should go. We read at least 4 books a day , not including the two I read at bedtime. We talk about the reasons people feel the way they do and what reactions they might have to certain situations. Don't ever underestimate talking to them about everyday stuff. We do watch a DVD at rest time because they will not sleep and they take it in turns to choose. I keep lots of different size boxes and we made a shop and made pretend money colouring them accordingly and writing the amount on them. we take turns to be the shop keeper and the shopper. Make playdoh. Bake a cake and let them mix and measure. Dance, turn the music up loud, we listen to top 40 no wiggles or Hi 5 for us. Get some blocks and build. just lay around and talk and cuddle and . Play hair dresser, take turns they brush my hair - very relaxing. Play fishing, cut up magnets you get in the mail, attach them to fish pictures downloaded from the net and using a paperclip nd thread fish. look at photos of people you know and talk about them. Get a atlas and show them the world talk about other cultures. Go to the library once a week get books for everyone. Play musical statues. let them help dig in the garden and get rid of weeds. Have a picnic even if it is just a walk to the park down the street.

Good luck, hope things pick up for you soon

Have you tried taking your kids to a climbing gym. I have 3 children aged 14, 10 and 4. Obviously it is hard to find something that they are all interested in because of the wide age variation. One thing they love is the climbing gym. The little one mucks about on the low walls and the bigger ones climb higher. They all love it and it  doesn't cost too much. I watch and laugh and sometimes join in.

I think whether you have been diaognosed with depression or not, we all feel we are not doing enough at times.  I have 3 - 18 months between first two and 21 between second and the third. 

I found something that worked for me was a timer.  I spent 15 minutes with them and then 15 minutes gettig work done. I found that when the alarm went off it was a signal that they all stuck by.  They knew that when it was housework time, they were not to interupt me and they didn't, i beleive because they knew shortly that it would be their time. Then when it was their 15 minutes they got my full attention.  (I used to manipulate it a bit - 15 them, 20 - 25 me sometimes - hey it still worked!!)

I also set up a table with 3 different activities on - cutting out from cards/magazines and pasting on paper - painting icy pole sticks - painting paper plates.  Simple things and in that 15 minute period I would assist them in their acitivity.  When time was up they would leave it and they could watch a video or play out the garden until off went the alarm and we would all be back at it.

Just some ideas anyway..... good luck

Your not a bad mother. I have depression, obsesive compulsion disorder, ibs, anxiaty and god knows what else. What you should do is put your kids in day care for a day or two to give yourself a break, and that will help you lots. That way you have time with your kids, and time for yourself, and that is a great start to tackle depression. It may sound crazy, but i love coming on this site, it helps me and even makes me laugh, which is good for the soul.!! Think positive, and keep reminding your self, you are not a bad mother.

i have deperession too, right now its undercontrol with the help of meds.

i find a huge thing for me, is sunlight. i need to get sunlight in my system. maybe if you decided each day, a minimum of 30mins a day outside, even if you just sit there watching them play, and as time goes on, you might be able to join in more.

try and decide certin things you need to do each day. eg, the sunlight, read 1 book to the kids, 5mins playing with their toys. then as you manage that, add more, or maybe 1book per child.

Personally, i think some people are more 'into' playing with kids than others.....it doesn't make you a bad mum though!  Having depression wouldn't help either, when you feel down and not in a good frame of mind, it is all you can do to get through the day.

I'd start simple by going to the park, fresh air is good for the body, mind and soul and really you don't have to do much except be there for your kids.....the playing takes care of  itself at a park!!  Take a picnic lunch or snack, and a magazine just in case!  Maybe after a while you will feel more motivated to do other things with them.

Endless organised activities are great, for kindy and daycare, but realistically at home we have other stuff to do as well!  If you just set aside some time with your children every day doing puzzles, reading etc i think you are on the right track. 

 Your not a bad Mum at all, when suffering from depression it can effect everything in our daily lives. You are asking what you can do with your children, that is motivation you could just try going out for walk with your children....go to a park if you have one near you, some fresh air and play time for your kids will do everyone good and you will be spending quality time with your children. Once you start feeling better in yourself, you will want to do more things with your children.

A playgroup was mentioned, great place for the children and a place for you to meet other mum's  and  make some new friends.

I wish you well.

 Playgroups are great. Time outside in a sandpit is good too. Play in the bath tub.

Perhaps think about putting them in day care - this could give you a break, or give you some quality time with them one at a time.

You could put a move on in the afternoons and have some quiet time too.

Good luck and seek further help with your depression if things don't get better for you.

oh sweety, i cant totally relate to what you are saying,

i have found that the days my little guy goes to day care (the only way i can stay sane), i go in early and play a few fun games with him and the other kids, and help out painting or what ever they are doing, (much more fun than trying to do it all at home and no clean up) after an hour or so i go back home and have a little "me time" then get stuck into the house with out his well meaning help, this has helped my sanity no end and lets me be part of the things i cant do at home, it has also given me adult talk time and helps on those days when i really cant be bothered and feel depressed about life.

do you have a local mothers / play group that you can all go to? they often have fun things planned that everyone can get involved with

when i really get desperate with my little fire cracker i grab all my tuperware and we play building blocks with it and it helps me to clean the cupboard out on occasions,

am not sure what ages your little ones are but could you build a jigsaw or a lego / duplo creation with them? or try getting a roll of butchers paper and chalk and drawing / making up a story with them, you write the story and help them draw the pics, if you have a back yard things like a small herb garden project is great or if you are pressed for space sprout mung beans or alf alfa in a jar, they will love watching it grow and learning about it at the same time, or a tank of sea monkeys is fun for the kids and educational, it can be set up in 2L bottles if need be

i hope i have been of some assistance with ideas,

 Mothers group would be a great start- your kids can play with other kids, and you can meet other mums and make some friends to do things with. I now have a small group of girlfriends who have babies and toddlers, and we make regular plans to get out of the house- it could be something as extravagant as the aquarium or as simple as meeting up at the beach pool. I think getting out of the house would really help with your depression, too. Try to make a point of getting out every day even if its to go and sit in the park for 20 minutes. Hope this helps :)

I feel like I could have written exactly what you just wrote except I only have 2 kids.  I know how important it is to do things with them.  I just can not seem to get myself to do it.  It is a lot easier for me to do things  for them then with them.  Whenever I am playing with them I just keep thinking of all the other things that I could be accomplishing.  I love my kids and I would do anything for them.   I just find it incredibly hard to just stop everything and play with them.  I have thought a lot about it and I think that part of it is that I never get a break from them.  At the end of the day the hyperness, loud voices, banging toys, whining, crying, dirty laundry, etc is just overwhelming.

The one thing that I have found that I can do with them and reasonably enjoy is baking.  It usually ends up a big mess in the end but for some reason I seem to be able to enjoy that.  I do other things with them but I have to drag myself to do it.  I understand it is not supposed to be about me enjoying it but it just stinks sometimes.  It is real hard to act all chipper and happy when I am not feeling that way.

Today my son stayed home from school because he was sick.  He is super sensitive and very emotional when he has a cold.  My 2 year old daughter pooped in her underwear 3 times.  Every time I turn around there are more toys all over the place.  I can not seem to pick them up fast enough.  Yes, I make them take some responsibility and clean up some of there own toys but it is a constant battle.  I am just taking a break now after eating dinner.  My sink is full of dishes, my son is in the middle of a crying fit, my house smells of poo from my daughter and my husband is just relaxing on the sofa.  The last thing I want to do is sit down with the kids for a game.

I really want to thank you for writing because it makes me feel a lot better knowing that there is someone else that feels the same as me.