Spring time brings flowers, sunshine, a new sport season and of course, allergies. This season take some time out of your day to rekindle your inner child and play with your family.
When soccer and baseball season start, families are often busy driving to practice, making quick meals and completing school work. It is often difficult to fit in recreational fun and family time into busy schedules. Take time to remember the importance of family time and playing with your children. Play is an important part of brain development and parent-child relationships. Playing with your child allows for a unique opportunity to engage with them and challenge them, or learn from them.
When picking up your young children from soccer, baseball or chess practice don’t rush home right away. Before jumping in the car to get home, jump on the field and join your child. Kick the ball around or play catch for a couple minutes.
Turn off the radio on the drive home and put your phone aside. Talk to your child about their day or play a quick game of I-Spy in the car. If you are driving home with a resistant adolescent , play a song of their choice on the radio to encourage conversation or talk about the upcoming family schedule.
When coming home in the evening after a long day, remember to take a couple minutes to spend one-on-one time with your child. Parents are often busy cleaning up after dinner and miss opportunities to play with children. The best way to engage your child is to get on your child’s eye level in their play environment. Sit on the floor or lean on your knees to engage directly with your youth.
Spring is a time to embrace the weather and sunshine. If you are a parent of an adolescent, going on walks are great opportunities to engage with your teen and talk openly. Don’t forget to leave the cell phones at home. If your teen does not embrace the idea right away give them an allotted time for the walk. Knowing they won’t be away from their phones for hours, may help encourage the idea. Don’t let the pollen take opportunities away from engaging and playing with your family members. Enjoy the sunshine and enjoy your family!
Written by Natalie Edwards, LCSW a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the State of Virginia. She provides clinical therapy to children, adolescents and their families. Natalie’s clinical focus includes utilizing expressive therapy techniques including art, play and sand therapy. Natalie brings to her clinical practice her dynamic and ever-evolving ability to develop therapeutic rapport with children and adolescents.