I’m a mom, stepmom, and theatre educator helping exhausted parents access their inner creative playfulness for more connection and joy. No messy crafts, complicated setups, or sensory bins here! Just simple, silly moments that bring your family back together through laughter. My short weekly emails share reflections from real life and a simple invitation you can try for yourself or with your kids.
How one game set the tone for the week:
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I was feeling annoyed… or so I thought. It was “transition” night — my stepdaughter’s first night at our house after being with her mom for the week. It’s always a big adjustment for everyone — and the summer schedule is a particularly jarring shift. She was being short and seemed distant. I felt myself getting irritated. I asked myself, “What’s under this annoyance?” and quickly realized… … it was fear. Old insecurities were coming up. Guilt. Worrying she’ll always miss her mom more than enjoying time at our house. And under that fear is love. So then I asked myself... “What would playfulness look like right now?” “Wanna play a game?” I asked her. She lit up and said, “Sure! Like what?” We ended up making up a new, simple game together called, “What have you DONE!?” How we played: • We took turns asking, “What have you done?” using different accents or dramatic emotions. • We answered in the same tone or expression. • Responses varied from “I had a playdate” to “I ate a PB&J.” As we played, she inched closer to me on the couch. Before long, we were not only physically closer, but more emotionally connected through silliness and sharing moments from our week. Play is healing — this has been studied and proven. This is especially true when it comes to working through separation anxiety or trauma. And it’s been transformative for our family. This simple game helped both of us:
Invitation for the Week: Notice when you’re feeling annoyed and ask yourself what’s underneath. Curiosity alone can be powerful. As always, feel free to reply with your thoughts if any of this resonates! I love hearing from you. Love, Mia P.S. I’m now offering one-on-one support through my Personal Play Plan & Coaching service, where we work together to develop playful skills for connecting with your kids. Tap the button below for more info + a 5% discount as a thank-you for subscribing!
*Discounts available for stepparents and single parents; reply to this email if that’s you! ____________________________________ By the way... do you have my $5 guide, "From Tired to Playful?" It's packed with mindset tips and over 50 creative games for connection! |
Playful Heart Parenting
I’m a mom, stepmom, and theatre educator helping exhausted parents access their inner creative playfulness for more connection and joy. No messy crafts, complicated setups, or sensory bins here! Just simple, silly moments that bring your family back together through laughter. My short weekly emails share reflections from real life and a simple invitation you can try for yourself or with your kids.
I recently got back into doing at-home dance workouts. Aside from walking, this is truly the only form of exercise I enjoy, and it’s been YEARS. Why do I love it so much? Because it’s fun, challenging in an enjoyable way, and brings back a big part of myself (the performer part)! But what I didn’t expect to happen was for it to become a new bonding activity for me and my 10yo stepdaughter! Surprisingly, she’s taken an interest in doing the dance workouts with me when she’s here, and I have to...
I’m writing this sandwiched between two sweaty snoring babies so I’m keeping it short (Okay so they’re 4 and almost 2 but… I’m still calling them babies, okay?? 😭) If you know me you know I lovvvve my word-a-time games like One Word Story/Commercial/Complaint Letter/Love Letter… Add “One Word Warning” to the top of the list because it’s our new fave. You simply make up a ridiculous warning together by alternating every other word. When I played with my stepdaughter (10) the other night the...
In case you missed it... a couple months back I shared a video of my stepdaughter and me playing our favorite game: "One Word Commercial," where we make up a fake commercial on the spot, trading off every other word. It ended being about ointment for an itchy butt... but with lots of disastrous side effects. The video went viral, with folks chiming in with their own playful comments and excitement to try this with their own families (yay!!) (If you want to watch it after you read the rest of...