"Time-In"

A friend shared the following link with the moms in our playgroup last week. She wanted to help us stay on our A game :) It is called the 50 best parenting tips ever. Most of these happen automatically everyday but it was nice to review them and think about the ones that we do not do as often as we should.

The 1st on the list is one that we strive to do as much as we can. It says, "Grant a wish. Take an hour or two each week to do exactly what your child desires without interruptions or distractions -- even if she wants to play a game you hate or build block towers and then knock them all down." Well in the toddler world these few hours of Z time are broken up into small 5-20 minute segments throughout the week. We love to use "Time-In's" from Harvey Karp's book, The Happiest Toddler on the Block. "Time-In's" are uninterrupted time to play whatever Z wants (he's in charge). There are no phone calls taken during this time, no chores to be done, no adult conversations...it is all about Z. We say "Time-In" and he gets so excited and chooses the activity (or activities) to play....we have so much fun!

Z has always been pretty good at independent play (we are very fortunate for this). He loves to play with his toys, read books to himself or explore different objects in the home. Since starting "Time-Ins", Z has become even better at independent play. I think it is because he knows that he plays by himself for a bit (while mommy watches from a far or does a few chores) and then soon it will be time to play together.

So check out the 50 best parenting tips and remember to spend time following your child's lead and granting their wishes. It is so important for their growth and development to have time to control the play. After all, some of the games they come up with are a lot more fun and interesting than the games we come up with ;)