At 27 years old, I still play hide and go seek.
And honestly? I’m never NOT going to play it.
Some people my age feel like they need to “act grown,” slow down, or separate themselves from anything childlike once they become mothers. But for me, having children has done the opposite.
My kids keep me young.
They keep my imagination alive.
They feed my child-like wonder in a way nothing else ever could.
Being a Young Single Mom Doesn’t Mean Losing Your Inner Child
I’m a young, single mom in my mid-20s, and I genuinely believe that motherhood doesn’t have to mean losing yourself—or your joy. In our household, play is sacred. Laughter is normal. And hide and go seek? Oh, we take that very seriously.
This isn’t some half-hearted “okay, I’ll play for five minutes” type of thing. No. This is full commitment. Strategic hiding. Silent breathing. Holding in laughter until it physically hurts.
Hide and Go Seek at Night Is Elite Parenting (For Real Though)
Hide and go seek is best at night.
Try it and thank me later.
For me, it’s elite because I love jump-scaring them (muahahahaha). But also because the house feels different at night—quieter, calmer, almost magical. The whispers. The tiny footsteps. The muffled giggles.
You guys don’t understand how close I come to peeing myself from holding in my breath and trying not to laugh while hiding. I hear my kids mumbling to themselves, making plans out loud, giving themselves away completely—and it is the purest thing ever.
Those moments? They’re everything.
Playtime Is Connection, Not Just Fun
Playing with my children isn’t something I force myself to do. It’s something I love doing. Always have. Always will.
Playtime is connection. It’s presence. It’s telling your kids—without words—that they matter more than your phone, your stress, or the outside world. For young moms especially, play reminds us that we don’t have to choose between being responsible adults and joyful humans.
WE CAN BE BOTH.
I’ll Always Choose Play With My Kids
One day, they won’t ask me to play hide and go seek anymore. One day, the house will be quieter. And I know I’ll miss these moments more than anything.
So yes—at 27 years old, I still play hide and go seek.
I still crawl into closets and under beds.
I still hold my breath behind doors.
I still laugh until my stomach hurts, seriously.
Because being a mother doesn’t mean growing old.
Sometimes, it means getting to be a kid all over again—through your children’s eyes.
And that? That’s something I’ll never EVER take for granted.
xoxoxoxxxxooooxxxxooo,
AMBER LINDSAY M
