My Kid Taught Me How to Play

I used to think I didn’t have time to play with my toddler. I always thought my chores were a lot more important than wasting my time playing.

But then it dawned on me that my child was a lot more precious than the never-ending lists I made.

I struggled, but I put aside my chores and made playtime my priority. Or, at least, learning how to play because I didn’t know how to play with my child! I couldn’t really allow myself to do it naturally.

I had these ingrained, limiting beliefs about how work is more important than play and how I should always finish my homework first and then do things for myself, for recreation.

Eventually, by consciously giving myself permission and space to enjoy the simple moments, to just be, I started to slowly learn this basic thing: playing.

And funny as it may sound, my kid taught me how to play. He would guide me and tell me what we could do together.

So we laughed and imagined new worlds through play, we built castles with blocks and later with legos. We read stories and talked about what stories we could imagine.

A fleeting thought crushed me later: childhood rushes by!

Kids grow fast, and one day, they won’t ask us to play.

So, I learned how to cherish each moment spent with my kid.

My takeaway is that time spent with our kids is precious, and the memories we create will last for a lifetime.

Later edit added to the original:

I couldn't imagine a better teacher than my kid. Nowadays, it seems time flies by a lot faster, and I have to consciously take the time to play, to allow myself to unwind despite the voices in my head. I usually don't play and I blame myself, trying at the same time to rationalize the need to do instead of the need to be.

So I end up in a constant battle with my thoughts, feelings and contradictions, a whirlwind of emotions and words in my head. I write and and I dance them out, and then my kid tells me the following:

"Mommy, you've worked enough! When we are together we take a break from work and you shouldn't use your phone. Otherwise, it feels like you are not with me, but with someone else. "

I see the hurt in his eyes and I leave the phone in another room. I take his face in my palms and I look and tell him: "I see you, I am with you. I want to be here with you now. Please teach me how to play."

A joyful laughter, a twirl on one leg, and a jump, and he says "Yay mommy, let's play with cars. Which car would you like to be and where do you want to go together?" And he adds, as if planning our future: "I will buy you a Ferrari when I will be a big boy. Would you like that, mommy?"

I look at him again and I laugh, his energy and positivity are intoxicating. This perfect little boy is teaching me so much about the world and I am so grateful for it!

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Word Picture Prompt for the day is “Playing”.

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***I originally published this story on Medium.***

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