When I was pregnant with my first child and learned I would be having a daughter, I made a few very important promises to both myself and my unborn little girl. I first vowed to teach her how to become self-sufficient in hopes she would never put herself in a situation where she had to stay with someone harmful or abusive due to financial or emotional dependency. I then pledged to raise her to know that women can do absolutely anything a man can do, and finally, I also felt it was important to ingrain in her that the beauty standards placed on women by the media are often unhealthy and unattainable. After making this vital lineup, I quickly realized each of these goals could be reached simply by ensuring she had great self-esteem. I set out on my journey of motherhood with a sense of inner peace and a lot of determination.
· There will certainly be many occasions where you have a limited amount of time for your child to play, but do your best to also create special play times when you can tell your child they don't have to hurry or clean up right away
· Talk with your children about their play. Let them share what they're doing from their point of view and respect them by listening
· Play with them so they see and know how much you value play
· Get involved in providing suggestions, activities, ingredients, props, and ideas
· Control television watching and technological toys
· Walk outside often, play in nature, explore, ramble and swim together
· Never underestimate the power of music to relax and teach your child
Happy Playing!
