How to Be a More Playful Parent

Do you find it hard to relax and really get into playing with your kids?

Does it somehow make you feel silly or awkward when you try to play along with children?

When you're small, you spend a lot of time imagining (and playing) what you will be when you're 'grown up'. Will you be a fire-fighter? A doctor? An astronaut? A pop star? A teacher? A parent?

That last one is perhaps the most popular game for children - "Let's play moms and dads!" And rightly so, for most children will be parents one day, whatever else they do when they're 'grown up'.

Growing up can make you less playful

But one of the things that happens to you as you're 'growing up' is that adulthood changes from being this fantasy future that's just another game to something altogether more serious.

Being an adult is not easy. Parenting is not easy. As you grapple with the challenges and come to terms with what it takes, you can get cut off from your childhood self - 'putting away childish things', they call it.

The difference between childish and childlike

While to some extent it's absolutely necessary to do this if you are to come to full maturity, there is also a risk that you might lose something very important - your capacity to be childlike. It's important to distinguish between being childish and being childlike.

Being childish is about not taking responsibility, relying on others to take care of you, not engaging with mutual obligations, having tantrums. All of which is perfectly appropriate if you are a little kid, but not if you are an 'adult'.

Being childlike is about being open and curious and flexible and ready to learn and experiment. And ready to play. Because play, whatever age you are, is one of the very best ways we humans have evolved to learn.

Play activates your imagination and fires up your creativity and problem solving ability. Some of the most wonderful discoveries and inventions in the world came about because of people 'playing'.

Why it pays to be a playful parent

So learning how to be more playful can do you a lot of good. And, if you have kids of your own, or are around other people's children, being a playful parent and entering fully into their world and their games will help to build a wonderful connection with them and help to fire up and develop their creativity too.

But if you've got a little set in your ways and perhaps find it rather hard to let go of being 'adult' all the time, you might appreciate some help.  Letting go means stopping worrying about the mess that will need to be tidied up, the clothes that will need washed and giving you and your kids the freedom to cut loose and bend (not break!) a few parenting 'rules'.

How hypnosis can help you learn how to be more playful

Playful Parent is an audio hypnosis session created by psychologists which will help you get the most out of engaging in childlike play with kids.

As you listen regularly to this session, you'll notice that you

• begin to feel more relaxed and at ease in general
• easily engage in spontaneous play with your children
• still take good care of your adult responsibilities
• feel much closer to your children
• see the benefits of increased playfulness in the rest of your life

Download Playful Parent now and get much more out of life with kids. You can listen on your computer or device or via our free app which you can access when you have completed your purchase.