Not all parents find it enjoyable to play with their children. Other than the fact that engaging in physical activities with young ones who are extremely energetic would be too exhausting, playing childish games with our offspring does not jive with our perception of “leisure”. Although it may be fun at first, some parents could not maintain their enthusiasm at play because it slowly becomes boring.
Nonetheless, a lot of parents still opine that spending time with their children is the most precious thing in the world. They find it more amusing to see their children find their way to win their games or how their children would react to certain situations while playing.
So what is the right thing to do- to play with them or not?
Why “No”?
While spending time with our kids could be fun, there are problems that may arise during the activities.
First, once you always allow your kid to dominate on your game, it could kill the fun and possibly destroy your relationship with them. Some of us, parents, might think that we should let our kids be the boss while playing with them or let them win all the time. However, this could be dangerous.
Psychologists say that when we constantly let them win, we allow ourselves to be perceived by our kids as inferior to them. When we let them dominate all the time, they might think that they are indeed better and ultimately lose their respect towards us.
However, if we do the opposite- let parents dominate the game- it could also lead to some problems. We have to recognize that some parents do this unconsciously. As human as we are, we become competitive whenever we play. When we do this, we hinder our child’s learning and we even make them feel so inferior. They may end up thinking that they could never win any game with anyone else.
Why “Yes”?
The primary reason why you should make time to play with your child is to mold a strong relationship with them. A strong bond between us and our children is necessary for parenting. While spending quality and enjoyable moments with them, we start to know them even more.
Additionally, playing with them could be the best time to teach them valuable lessons. When we see them hands-on, we get to see how they react in different situations and correct them when they make mistakes. For instance, if you win a game and your child suddenly becomes outrageous and mad, you should tell them why they lost and how to overcome their weakness. You should teach them not to feel mad whenever they lose in a game.
We should admit it. We are not always in the mood to play. Besides, not all of us have the leisure of time to spend with our kids. But will making time for them be beneficial?
Most providers of Early Childhood Education in Riverside, California encourage parents to play with their children. As observed by Montessori Children’s House, those kids whom their parents make time for are more inspired to learn than those who are not.
