The Power of Playfulness

Yesterday's post and focus on my inner Buddha turned out to be a good setup for today. The afternoon found me and the littlest bear home alone together, with me low on energy and him right in the midst of his newly discovered baby tantrums. He crawls up a storm and pulls up to standing on his own, but he's just itching to walk and gets really upset that he can't yet.

Since my inner Buddha babe was fresh in my thinking, I asked her for guidance and the answer she gave was obvious and immediate - PLAY. I upped my energy level and several minutes later, bear and I were laughing and making faces at one another on the floor.

For more on the power of play, check out Playful Parenting by Lawrence J. Cohen, PhD. His ideas have made it sooooo much easier for me to work with kids and parents in my Tykes (2-4 year old) classes and have provided the knowledge I need to be patient with Kai's endless games of I-drop-you-pick-up. From his Web site:

...an award-winning book about nurturing close connections, solving behavior problems, and encouraging children's confidence...Playful Parenting means joining children in their world of play, focusing on connection and confidence, giggling and roughhousing, and following your child's lead.