Day Six- Never Underestimate the Power of Play

Kids today have so many fun and educational activities available to them. Soccer, ballet, gymnastics, martial arts, little league, 4-H, Scouting, pottery, music lessons, theater productions…and the list goes on and on. Certainly a lot different than the limited number of activities I could choose from as a kid growing up in rural Idaho.  I love that there are so many wonderful learning opportunities in our community.

However, I wonder if we as a society have over-emphasized the need for our children to participate in so many structured activities.  Yes, each of these pursuits can help our kids develop great skills and character.  Unfortunately, many of our kiddos are simply over-scheduled.  It happens quite easily.  Just add a couple of these activities to the family schedule, along with school and possibly church activities, and life has suddenly become incredibly complicated.
When our kids do have some free time, many of them spend it interacting with educational toys or using a computer.  Again, there are some amazing learning tools available to parents and children today.  But whatever happened to just playing?   

The most amazing things happen when we allow children unstructured, self-directed time to play.  They learn to think independently, use their imagination, and develop creative problem solving skills. They learn to appreciate nature and how to interact in a meaningful way with the world around them.  When kids play, they begin to explore their own strengths and weaknesses, and discover their unique purpose in life.

So, go ahead and sign your child up for that great activity.  But make sure you leave plenty of time in the schedule for everyone (even you) to play.  You won’t regret it!

“It is a happy talent to know how to play.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

Day Three: We Are Always Teaching

Cook, maid, nurse, cheerleader, personal shopper, chauffeur, counselor… on any given day parents wear many hats.  But the one that we never take off is that of teacher.  Maybe you’ve never thought of yourself as a teacher.  Teachers are the ones who write lesson plans and have stacks of papers to grade, right? 

A teacher’s primary purpose is to provide instruction.  Well, parents, isn’t that what we are doing with our children every day?  We are constantly working on skill-building- how to do tasks independently, how to have good manners, how to communicate appropriately, etc. You might not define yourself as a “teacher,” but that is certainly paramount in the parent job description. 

Most of us realize that to be effective parents we must be intentional about instructing our kids.  And let’s not forget the importance of taking advantage of “teachable moments”- those unplanned opportunities that arise where you can explain or demonstrate something- an incredibly impactful way of learning for kids.  But we often fail to recognize that we are always teaching- even in those moments when we aren’t intending to do so.

Our precious kiddos are constantly watching what we do and say.  Sometimes this is a positive thing- sometimes this is a negative thing.  Sometimes they reflect our best traits, and at other times they are mirrors of our worst habits.  It is challenging to always be on the job.  But parenthood is a 24/7 commitment, so we must be vigilant.  The hours are demanding, but the benefits are incredible!

“Don't worry that children never listen to you; worry that they are always watching you.”  ~Robert Fulghum