【Easter egg】Introduction of Playful Parenting

Hello, I’d like to introduce you to my first book, Playful parenting.

The introduction starts many years ago, when I was a boy. I dreamed of being a fiction writer. I wanted to writes stories and novels that would change people’s lives, the way my favorite books changed my life. In University I decided that writing was not a realistic career, so I switched to psychology, which I loved. Then I became a father and My whole world was transformed. I began to study child development and attachment theory. Once again I found books that changed my life, by parenting experts such as Patty Wipfler, Stanley Greenspan, and the Polish pediatrician Janusz Korczak.

I started writing down my observations of children and parents, and I recaptured my love of writing. Playful parenting was published and I began to hear from readers.  They said that they were more patient with their children, yelling and scolding less. They said their children were more confident, and more cooperative. They said they never imagined they could be playful, or that playfulness could transform their family.

The essence of Playful Parenting is connecting with children through play and emotional understanding. The book begins with a description of connection, and why it is so important. We connect with children by recognizing their needs and their emotions, by listening to them, and by getting down on the floor and playing with them.

Playful Parenting also provides a powerful way to resolve everyday conflicts over issues such as bedtime or mealtimes or homework. One example is a child who has trouble saying goodbye at the door of the kindergarten. In addition to listening with empathy to the child’s feelings, you can play the Hello Goodbye game at home. In this game, the parent says to the child, goodbye, I have to leave, and then turns around. Very quickly she turns back to the child and says hello again. Then this game repeats many times, as the child laughs. This laughter releases the tension the child has about separation.

Another example is two siblings who fight over a toy. The parent can playfully grab the toy and run, saying “I never get to play with this wonderful toy! Even both of you working together can’t get it away from me!” In this way, the children are drawn to cooperating and the rivalry is replaced by joy.

Children have an empty cup inside of them that needs to be filled with love and affection. With babies, we fill their cups by responding to their needs for food, warmth, cuddling, and comfort. As children get older we also fill their cups by getting on the floor and playing with them. For school age children, we fill their cups by listening to them and giving them our respect. Children’s cups are emptied when they feel discouraged, upset, or especially if we scold them and criticize them. They need lots of love from us at these times to refill their empty cup. Don’t forget that you have an empty cup too, so you need to make sure to fill your own cup.

I hope you will take the opportunity to read this book, and I hope it will bring more joy, relaxation, and connection to your life as a parent. My vision for the future is for every child to be listened to and every parent to be supported.

Thank you.

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