Playing During the Morning Rush…

The morning rush.

We’re in quite a big hurry. It is 7:15 a.m. already, so we really need to get out of the house soon or we’ll all be late. And yet, my five-year-old does not seem to make any morning play to help get out the doorparticular progress with that glass of milk he’s been studying for the last five minutes or so. Oh, wait! He’s now leaving the table now, looking for a book.

I take a deep breath and ask, “Could you please go back, sweetie, and finish your milk?” No answer. The book is really captivating, it seems. I ask again. He does not seem to hear me. I am right there, two steps away, but we are so not connecting. Sigh. Often disconnections arise when children have to join our world and our schedules but when this happens we can reconnect using extra affection and play.

In Hand in Hand Founder Patty Wipfler’s words, “When you approach your child in a warm and playful manner they often can use your attention to laugh their way back in contact with you, then into flexible play again.”

So let’s play!

In my attempt of a funny voice I say, “This is your milk talking to you. Please, please, please come back to me, I don’t like being left all alone here, at the table.”He finally looks at me, appearing rather amused, and replies, milk“I AM coming back to you, milk! But only to drink your big mouth, so you stop bothering me!” He takes a sip and goes away.

“Look, look, I can speak with my nose now!” yells the milk. “I am such a special milk, you see! “Ha!” My son exclaims, with a large smile on his face. “Just wait until I drink your nose as well!” And he takes one more sip.

“I don’t care, I can talk with my ears too, look at me!” the milk continues. My son is giggling at this point, and just like that the morning, now full of laughter, feels so much better.

He drank the milk. And he got dressed too. And, although there were still times when things could have gone downhill, we managed to smoothly navigate the “morning waters,” enjoying each other and the day that was about to start.

from a Hand in Hand Mom

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