Summer- A Time to Reconnect with your Kids
Summer is fast approaching and children are positively itching for their break to begin. Everyday kids are telling me how many days of school are left until they are free. Families have spent the last 9 months running from one activity to another, getting homework done, studying for tests, and still trying to get to bed on time so that chaos of today can start over again tomorrow. Summer, however, is a time for kids to do what they do best- play! It’s also a great time for parents to reconnect with their kids through that play.
It can be difficult to find genuine one of one time with our kids to during the school year. The weekdays are too busy and when the weekend finally arrives, everything that didn’t get done during the week still has to be done. Before you know it, the school year is almost over and you’re not sure where the time went. Summer is time to recharge and reset. Why not also reset with your kids as well. How do you do that though? It’s hard to play as an adult. We haven’t just played for fun since we were kids so connecting with our kids through play can be a challenge. However, because kids express and experience so much through play, it is the best medium for bonding and growing in relationship with our kids.
Parent2Child is a family therapy program that teaches parents how to engage in specialized one on one play times that strengthen the parent-child relationship. There are a lot of great parenting books out there. However, it’s one thing to read about parenting skills and it’s another thing to practice them and apply them with intention and coaching. Parent2Child helps parents learn many of the same skills employed by play therapists to help children feel heard, understood and accepted. It’s amazing how a child’s behavior can change when they feel better about themselves. Children internalize their parent’s beliefs about themselves so why not make sure that your relationship with your child is rock solid? Being a parent is the hardest job in the world. We spend years in school preparing for our professions but when we become parents, we are just thrown into it without any preparation whatsoever. Parent2Child is that preparation.
The impact of participating in Parent2Child reaches into so many areas of family life. Through enhancing the relationship, behavior in children improves, anxiety is often reduced, and confidence grows. Through this program, I’ve even seen children with ADHD thrive in ways they didn’t know they could because their parents learned how to parent them differently and more effectively. Parents feel empowered and confident that they can handle any situations that come their way. Parent2Child lays the foundation for positive and open communication between parents and children that extends through childhood, adolescence and even the teenage years. When kids feel heard as children they are more likely to stay open as adolescents and teens.
Paretn2Child is a 10 session program for parents of children ages 2-9. Each session is filled with new skills to learn and practical ways to apply them at home. Feedback and coaching is also given for at home special play times. Parents have referred to this program as a lifestyle change, and a very positive one. Parenting is hard. Children don’t come with a road map. Parent2Child provides a road map for healthy relationships and thriving children.