Three Connection Games to Play with Your Child and A New Baby

Recently in our family we've had a new baby. That's brought all sorts of adjustments, of course, for my son. There are a few "playlistening" ideas that have been helpful, that others may find useful too:

brothersRecently in our family we've had a new baby and that's brought all sorts of emotions and feelings up for my son.

We've used lots of play to keep our connection strong. Finding ways to relieve the tension feels good for all of us, and I can still play these while holding the baby.

Try these three Playlistening games to play with your first child and your new baby.

1) Morning Special Time

There always seems to be so much that HAS to be done in the morning: getting dressed, getting food made, visiting the bathroom, changing diapers, getting ready for the day. Most of those, of course, are on my agenda, not my son's.

What really helps us is to have a short, 5 minute “Morning Special Time” that includes the baby, to start the day. Anything can wait five minutes before I get to it.

And spending even that minimal time together enables my son to play on his own afterwards while I get the day going.”

2) Throw the Animals

We have a lots of stuffed animals. One game that my son plays to offset his mad feelings is to throw his animals down the stairs. I stand at the bottom (I can still do this with the baby in my arms) and throw them back up, acting bewildered, of course, about how they keep coming back down. He laughs and laughs.”

3) Push Mom

We can't do this when my son is actively angry, but it is great when I know a number of frustrations are building up. I sit on the bed (The baby thinks it's very fun), and my son stands at the far end of the room. Then I say, in as snotty and preachy a voice as I can, something like ‘Time to go to bed, Son' or ‘Be quiet, don't wake the baby.' I keep repeating this while my son runs at me, and pushes me backwards onto the bed.

Then there’s laughter, and it's back to the starting gate to do it again–and again and again. Sometimes he feeds me my lines. I ask him what he's mad at me today. Often he prefers the game if I think of what to say on my own–I think it's affirmation that I know that there are really annoying things that I say or do.  Overstating them and hamming them up seems to be part of the fun.”

— A mother in Winnipeg, Canada

* Playlistening is a way of playing with a child so that the adult takes the less powerful role in play. Children release lots of tension in their laughter as they get to be “swifter,” “stronger,” “smarter,” “in-the-know,” and the play helps them feel closer to the adult playing with them, and more excited about being themselves. For more information, please refer to our series of booklets titled Listening to Children or the new book Listen: Five Simple Tools to Meet Your Everyday Parenting Challenges

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