Play When You Are Ready to Play

Your emotional readiness to play and the immediate emotional state of your child are critical to the success of any learning activity. Both you and your child must be relaxed and tension must be at a minimum. Engage in developmental experiences only when it can be a joyful activity for both you and your child. If you or your child are overly tired, stressed, upset or distracted it may be better to wait until later to become involved in a playing activity.

Most parents know when they feel up to the challenge. If your child wants to play “Go Fish” but you are in the middle of a stressful moment, try something like this. Look at your child and say, “I do want to play “Go Fish” with you. But I feel kind of upset right now. I think we’d have more fun if we wait to play until I feel better. What activity would you like to do on your own until I feel ready to play?” Discuss some options and decide when you will play “Go Fish.” (For example, you may decide to play “after you play with your trucks,” “in ten minutes,” or “after lunch.”) Then say, “Thanks for being patient. I’m excited about the game we have planned.” Be sure to follow your plan and play the game together at the appointed time. In the meantime, find a way to relieve your stress: breathe deeply, stretch, put yourself in a room by yourself for 5 minutes, read something uplifting, call your spouse or a friend, and either solve the problem that is bothering you or decide to let it go for now. And chances are, playing with your child will help you feel better and refocus on your personal priorities.

After playing with and/or teaching your child, review the experience in your mind. Ask yourself if the experience was enjoyable for your child. Ask yourself if the atmosphere was relaxed and if there was ample opportunity for pleasant interaction, laughter and happiness. If it was not an enjoyable interaction, ask yourself why, and think of how you can approach it differently the next time.

The entire environment for teaching and playing in your home should be natural and largely spontaneous. As you watch for and create opportunities to play and teach, you will be able to carry out most of the learning activities contained in this blog, and at the same time permit your child to set the pace.

A Passion For Learning Is One Of The Greatest Gifts You Can Give Your Child

If you are reading this blog, there is most likely a child in whose future you feel invested. A child you want to see grow up to be confident, intelligent and kind. A child whose natural brilliance lies brimming beneath the surface of his eager eyes. A child whose eyes look to you for love and direction. This blog was written to help you unearth your child’s unique brilliance and bring it to a glowing shine. And it is simpler than you might think.

Because your child is yours, you are in the prime position to enlighten, enable, and inspire her.

No one is better suited to teach your son or daughter than you. Daycare may protect her, soccer and dance class may entertain her, preschool may socialize her, the neighborhood or church may lend a helping hand, but you will leave the greatest impression on her soul. The things you do with your child, and the way you do them will significantly influence your child’s emotional and intellectual destiny. As you work, play, create, read, think and explore with your child you are laying the foundation upon which all of her future intelligence will stand. It is well worth your time, and the time to act is now.

Many parents feel reluctant to teach their young children before they enter kindergarten. Some parents feel inadequate and don’t know where to begin. Others have come to believe that it’s simply the school system’s job to teach their child, and that their role as parent is largely limited to feeding, cleaning and clothing their child. Other parents want to teach their child but struggle with how to teach a wiggly, strong-willed person with a short attention span. Some parents feel that they’re just too busy to do much teaching. Whatever the reason, many parents resign themselves to thinking, “He’ll learn that in kindergarten,” and miss out being involved in what could have been some of the richest and most rewarding years of their child’s life.

The principles and ideas in this blog will help you recognize, create, and capitalize on teaching moments with your child through every stage of his early life.  Whether you are teaching your child how to hit a baseball, how to count to twenty, how to sort socks or how to read a map, you are also teaching him to love to learn. A passion for learning is one of the greatest gifts you can give your child.