Are you a parent who strongly dislikes imaginatory play? Don’t enjoy getting down on the floor and playing with Barbies or superheroes or any other toy that requires a plot? I am here to tell you that you are certainly NOT alone. But I have an idea for you that I’ve been trying out with my therapist that I have found to really help me feel better about this area of my life.
First of all, I cannot tell you enough how much I loathe imaginatory play. My husband Chris is the one who gets down on the ground and creates the most magical storylines and fantasy lands. I would much rather read a book to my children or bring them on an adventure outside of our house. But I also know that this is an important part of their learning and also a good way for me to engage and interact with them. So I’ve been working with my therapist on ways to make this more manageable for me.
Enter the idea of “magic time”. This is a specific amount of 1:1 time that you give to each child. For that amount of time there are no phones, no other distractions – AND the child gets to choose the activity that you do for that entire period of time. We are starting with 10 minutes in my home. Having a specific time period makes it more manageable for me as I don’t feel like I am going to be playing Barbies for six hours. It also helps set expectations with the child – especially older ones who have a sense of time.
Give it a try and let me know what you think! And remember – you’re not alone if you dislike this imaginatory play!
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