By, Rachel Tzinberg, parent and CATCH President
Are you a fun parent? I’m not… yet (growth mindset and all!)
I’m not a dud, and I like to laugh, but play doesn’t come easily to me.
When our kids were little, my husband was in charge of creative play. He could make up stories for days and he had running story lines with a cast of characters (based on the kids stuffed animals) that all had different personalities and voices and got up to all kinds of mischief.
When the kids asked me for a story, I felt a sense of dread. I struggled to eke out five minutes, good enough to get us through bedtime. I could craft for hours but pretend play put me on the struggle bus. And when the expert advice was to “make it a game” because the kids wouldn’t get their shoes on or brush their teeth, I rolled my eyes and groaned.
I didn’t want to make it fun! I just wanted them to do the things they needed to do!
I’m sure there are plenty of ways to bring creativity and silliness into family life, but I recently came across @playfulheartparenting on Instagram and was utterly charmed. The games she shares are creative and genuinely fun and they don’t just bring laughter and levity into her house. They also build important language and social skills at the same time.
Her name is Mia Wisinski, and she’s a mom, stepmom, and theatre educator with a goal of helping parents ENJOY play through EASY, kid-friendly activities aimed at connection. Mia shares demos we can follow on Instagram, and she also offers a course called Activate Play Mode, which includes a private podcast and videos, lifetime access to an app with game ideas and prompts, and a printable PDF you can cut up and keep in a jar for quick inspiration.
Wisinski says “When we make time to be silly and playful as a family, I believe it’s the ultimate love language for our children.”
If you’re not the fun parent either, you’re not alone and you don’t have to be a theatre kid to start.
Where You Can Find Mia and Playful Heart Parenting
(CATCH has no affiliation with Mia Wisinski and receives no benefit from any purchase of her programs, other than more laughing kids in our community.)
In Real Life is an essay series from CATCH in which people tell their stories in hopes others will find comfort in their experiences. Learn more.
