It is said that playing together is one of the most effective tools for building a strong relationship with your child. It can be a difficult ask when you have had a long,possibly stressful,day at work and a long commute back home to play with your child who is full of energy and eager to spend time with you. While you do not have the heart to say no, your body is saying, I’m tired, not now.
Although it can be difficult to readily agree to playtime at the end of your workday, there are multiple benefits to your child’s development and long-term social, mental, and physical skills that you can contribute to by saying, yes. While there are many benefits to playing by themselves or with other children, there are special benefits that a child gains by playing with their parents. So, the next time you stop over at the toy store Melbourne shop for a couple of toys that will help you engage in playtime with your child.
You already know that play helps your child develop a variety of skills. Playtime with you equals picking up behaviour that is acceptable and not acceptable. Your child will learn from the way you respond to a situation and how you react. You are their first guide to developing social skills, self-control, and emotional intelligence. Research also suggests parent-child play develops multiple skills such ascreativity, leadership skills, gross motor skills and so on. The experience your child will receive by playing with parents or other loving adults is different to the experience they get from playing with other children or their siblings. Therefore, it is important to make time for your child every day.
Playtime help to build a strong bond between you and your child. A good relationship with you and happy memories will help strengthen your child’s emotional security which will hold them in good stead in their adulthood as they tackle life’s challenges. Play with your child can smoothen out disagreements and mistrust, while the joy and laughter of play help children feel closer to youand help them connect with you on a deeper level.
You may not realizethis but playing with your child is also good for parents. So, play is not just about the benefits that your child will reap, there is enough reason for you to engage in play with your child too. Research suggests the hormone oxytocin is released when parents engage in loving play and laughter with their children of any age. Oxytocininduces an anti-stress effect and reduces cortisol which is the body’s main stress hormone. The remedy to work stress when you get home may turn out to be playtime with your child.
Pay attention to what type of play your child wants to engage in – role-play, storytelling or working on something together like a puzzle. Engaging in conversation and being responsive to your child as you play together will make your child feel connected to you.