Parenting today is made out to mean that when your child goes off to school, he must excel at everything. In doing so, parents focus on organised activities and pressure their kids into doing good at all extra-curricular activities. But what kids need most at their age is some time to just play.
1. Is your kid spending more time home than outdoors?
Playing with their parents is a different kind of playing than what kids experience while playing with kids of their own age. But if you think you are an important element in your kids playtime then you are raising a kid that is too dependent on their parent or an adult. A kid who likes spending time indoors is more likely to develop a screen addiction and get used to playing video games instead of going out.
2.Exercising is not playing
If you have enrolled your kid in a sports class, like badminton or football and believe that he is getting his play time from the class, then even that is not right. Because in organised sports, your kid will get exercise but it will be a chore like homework. Kids need time to relax and entertain themselves with their friends or alone. If you keep watching over them all the time, they will get used to being watched over and will never become self-dependent.
3. Does your kid have friends?
Does your kid hang out with kids of his own age and do they play instead of fighting? Seeing whether or not your kid is being social is important for his overall development. Unstructured play is extremely crucial for physical and mental development of a child. So, no matter how pressured you are into making sure your kid does all things right, even your kid needs some play time without you around. Your role is just to make sure your kid does not get hurt so inform them of all the things they should not do.
4. Let kids run free so they can grow right
There is no problem in encouraging your kid to play organised sports, take art classes or go for dance classes but childhood is also the time for the overall growth of a child and that growth requires entertainment and mental relaxation. If your kid is doing activities all the time, then he will not have time for himself. Ensure that you give your kid at least two hours for himself to go out and play with friends. If your child has problems making friends then you can talk to them and encourage them, help them in ways to make friends but do not make suggestions on what they should do during their “me time”.