05/02/2026
Sometimes the hardest part of parenting isn’t the big stuff.
It’s getting down on the floor.
Legs crossed.
Blocks everywhere.
Being handed an invisible cup of tea for the fifth time.
Play can feel… surprisingly uncomfortable at first.
Especially if no one ever did it with you.
If you grew up without silliness, without someone narrating your Lego tower like it was the eighth wonder of the world… you’re not failing because it doesn’t come naturally.
You’re learning something you were never shown.
And learning takes courage.
Here’s the quiet truth I remind parents of every week:
You don’t have to repeat what you experienced.
You get to write something new.
You get to be the one who says,
“Sure, I’ll play.”
“Show me how it works.”
“Let’s build it together.”
Even if you feel awkward.
Even if you don’t know what voice to use for the dinosaur.
Even if you glance at the clock at first.
Because to your child?
You sitting beside them is the game.
Not the toy.
Not the activity.
You.
Five minutes of undivided, phone-down, eye-level play can fill their cup for hours. It builds safety, connection, regulation, trust — all the good stuff we wish came with a manual.
And here’s the beautiful bit:
It heals something in you, too.
You’re not just parenting forward.
You’re gently re-parenting yourself.
Small steps.
One puzzle piece, one silly voice, one imaginary tea party at a time.
🌿 Gentle reflection:
What would it look like to give your child just 10 minutes of “follow their lead” play today — no fixing, no teaching, just being?
You don’t have to be perfect.
Just present.
That’s more than enough.
Colette 🩵
