Most parents are probably feeling some level of burnout after the past year and a half, but summer is here and it’s a great time to take stock of your parenting and try a different approach if you’ve been at odds with your children.
Enter: Playful parenting.
Playful parenting is a simple way to connect with your kids, have fun and maybe take some of the tension out of your home.
We understand: The pandemic has been tough on everyone. So, try to have a little fun this summer and play!
Playful parenting is about making connections with your children, and play is one of the best ways to connect with them. After all, play is how they learn and grow, right?
Here are three things to try. Read on:
Try playfulness before the situation escalates
If you want your child to do something they don’t want to do, like put on their shoes, playful parenting looks like making a game out of it. If you know that your child is likely going to struggle, take the lead and set a fun tone. Afterall, playful parenting usually works best when emotions are NOT running high.
Strategies
If you don’t know if playfulness comes naturally to you, here are some playful strategies to try.
- Act silly
- Pretend you aren’t sure how to do something
- Use your imagination – and appeal to your child’s imagination, too
- Laugh and relax
Lower your expectations
When you are a playful parent, you have to lower your expectations a tad. The goal is cooperation and connection – not perfection. So maybe the toys aren’t perfectly put away, but you had a fun time aiming them at the bin. Maybe every single tooth wasn’t brushed, but there was laughter and hugs.
As you use more playful parenting, your child will likely gain more competency and skill at completing tasks – and he or she will be more empowered to help or cooperate.
Playful parenting is a long game, and if done consistently, it can help you connect with your children.
Everything Birth
At Everything Birth, we love connecting with parents as they go through the birth experience – and beyond!