03/04/2024
Do you have children? Grandchildren? Interested in parenting?
If yes! I wanted to let you know that I will be talking about PLAYING and JOY all next week in my instagram account
(presentinparenting).
During the week I will also have a 'live' where I am playing with my grand daughters (2 and 8) and embodying our play and joy moments, that, yes, can very much be interrupted by …. Let’s just say little storms. I am hoping I can present some answers to some that have been asking about sibling rivalries. Let's see how it goes. . .
What live? This is a 15 minute live of our life, just as it is. Unfiltered from my kitchen where we play and learn. Work and play.
In today's fast-paced societies, the intrinsic value of play is being overshadowed by the constant emphasis on overwork for parents and an increasingly demanding academic schedule for children. And demands for serious hobbies (at least in many European countries). We rush the children to school, back home, to the hobbies and to bed. Really?
All of this is quietly eroding the sacred space once reserved for play. Schools, in their well-intentioned quest for excellence, are inadvertently stifling children's natural inclination towards play—their most critical task for holistic development.
This shift towards longer hours of structured learning and homework, coupled with the reduction of recess and free play time, is not just robbing children of their joy but is also impeding their emotional, social, and cognitive growth.
Meanwhile, parents, caught in the whirlwind of societal expectations and work demands, often overlook the diminishing role of play in their children's lives, as well as their own. This mutual disenchantment with play is not a mere oversight but a profound loss, as both generations drift away from the very experiences that nurture creativity, resilience, and deep human connections. The irony is stark; in striving for a better future, we're neglecting the present moment's joys and lessons, leaving a legacy of stress rather than the intended success.
There is a huge importance in play and our transformation.
the Bible testifies : Unless you become like a child, you are not born again. Become like a child and enter into the Kingdom of God.
Maybe there is something to this?
I am diving deeper into joy and play. Play with our children, and the scientific findings, reasons for our resistance and how to overcome it. Join me in my instagram (presentinparenting) next this coming week while I talk about play and joy.
We got this!
Kirsi
