Playful Parenting (Chapter 1)

“The Value of Being a Playful Parent”…

As I read this first chapter, I had to acknowledge that I am not as playful with my children as I would like to be. I tend toward the serious and practical side…there always seems to be something (dishes, laundry, paying bills, etc.) more pressing to do than playing with my children. Alas, even when I make time to play with my children, I often feel awkward (What am I supposed to be doing now?) and rushed (When can I get back to my REAL work?).

I wholeheartedly agree with the author that play is a valuable activity (for both kids and for parents) for a variety of reasons:  I do feel closer to my baby when he is giggling at one of my funny faces. I can see how putting a puzzle together with my 4-year-old helps her feel more confident and instills a sense of teamwork, (“We did it!”). I have also witnessed my 4-year-old child “working through” her emotions through play. The shot example the author gives in the book is perfect…One of my daughter’s favorite games for a while was “Doctor”. She would say, “Now I have to give you a shot, and it’s REALLY going to hurt. You need to say, Ouch! OK, Now I have to give you ANOTHER shot!” …and so on. Recently, she has become more interested in playing “school”, and she gets to be the teacher, of course!

Some questions I have for those of you who may be reading along with me (please feel free to respond to some, all, or none of these questions in your own replies):

1. Do you agree with the author that play is a valuable experience to children? Why or why not?

2. Can you give an example of a time when play helped you feel closer to your child? When play helped your child feel more confident? And/or helped your child recover from difficult emotions?

3. Do you think you are you a playful parent? Why or why not?

4. What is one thing you could do this (day, week, month) to become a more playful parent?

Looking forward to hearing from you… Michelle

P.S. For more information about this book, Playful Parenting, please see my post for 2/13/09. Happy Reading!