This is a sponsored guest post.
The concept of good parenting is very tricky. We don’t always have the time and energy for our kids. ‘ Play with me!’ is the worse sentence to hear in the evening after a full working day. We can find a lot of different excuses not to play games with our children: “I need to cook lunch, do nails, repair the car, take care of the youngest child, buy groceries.” We are more interested in doing all this because we see the results of our work immediately. Most of the time, parents are simply not motivated to build a sand castle or play tag. ‘Kids are small. They will forget everything anyway.’ It doesn’t matter whether they remember or not. According to pdplay.com experts, spending quality time together provides the foundation for the child’s development. You affect your kid every single day, and you need to make sure you do it the right way. Let’s see how parent-child activity can influence your kid.
Teaches about the world
You need to teach your kid from scratch. Sometimes it can be very frustrating because children might be not the best conversationalists. Look at this from another angle: your kid will show you so many things differently. So, do not hesitate to teach them everything you know and even create a game out of it. For example, if you like fishing, doing hair or learning foreign languages, pass it on to your children. Also, you can go to the playground in the evening, tell your kid about everything you see, explain how to interact with others, help develop gross motor skills etc.
Make a change and go to the forest on the weekend. There is the chance your kid will miss the phone or TV at the very beginning, but later they will get used to it. As stated in a study published by Porto Biomedical Journal in 2017, elements of nature such as flowers, water, rocks, soil can easily capture kid’s attention. That’s why kids love asking all questions like ‘ Why is the sky blue?’ or ‘Why aren’t there any more dinosaurs?’. And you are the one to answer them.
Promotes physical development
Nowadays childhood physical inactivity reaches crisis level, according to the report conducted by the Active Healthy Kids Globe Alliance (AHKGA). It can be explained by excessive screen time. Parents give their children phones, tablets, and laptops every time they are busy. Some of them think it is ok to force kids to watch television the whole day and not to talk to them at all. However, kids should get at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day. It helps burn off energy, make them physically stronger, and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart diseases. That’s why spending time outdoors is so important. Also, it can benefit the parent just as much. If you don’t have time to go to the forest every two weekends, be creative. For example, ask your kid to help you wash your car, walk your dog ( or get one for the start) or have a family meal outside.
Improves social skills
Going to the playground or playing board games can help your kid understand other people better and make new friends. When you spend time together, try to explain other people’s behaviours and feelings. One day your kids will need to invite someone to the birthday party they don’t really want. It is your responsibility to explain that the one who is not invited will feel sad. The famous line “Because I said so” doesn’t motivate kids at all.
Builds a kid’s self-esteem
Your kids might not remember how many times you said ‘no’ to activities together but there is a high chance it will influence their behaviour in the future, not in a good way. When you play Barbie or Lego, you show your children that they truly matter to you. It is better to do something together for 10 minutes rather than saying ‘Honey, I love you, but I have no time for you. ’ Your kids should feel valued, loved and positive about themselves. And yes, this ‘pointless game’ can help them feel this way.
Develops your parenting style
Decide whether you want to be a weekend parent or a best friend for your kid. When you do different activities together, it helps build unshakable trust with kids. Be honest with your child. If you see that something might be dangerous for your ‘Cutie pie’, don’t yell but try to explain why you are worried. When you go for a walk, really listen to your kid, make eye contact and show that you understand. There are a lot of dangerous things but let your kids do it and be there for them. You need to be an authoritative parent, not an authoritarian one. So, let your kid climb that tree, cook a meal, go sledging, ride a bike to school or burn things with a magnifying glass. You will be surprised how much fun you will have yourself!
Where to start with parent-child activity?
You should understand that PCA implies parents to be as active as their kids. If you want to read a book or do household chores, you can get your kid involved in this as well. They love helping out, so show that it can be interesting and let them consider it a playtime.
Another important thing is to create a daily routine. If you spend time with your kid only on the weekend, it is more complicated to build a positive relationship. They grow and change so fast, so being ‘the weekend parent’ is not the option.
Also, don’t be afraid to be spontaneous, foolish, and careless when you play games with your kid. First of all, your child is the only person you can behave this way with and let your mind wander. Secondly, acting like a kid forces you to get rid of your insecurities and live a less stressful life.
