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.
Is it our “job” to play?
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There’s a big debate on social media about independent play vs. interactive play. “Play is the work of children. It’s not our job to play with our kids!” I see it all the time—hundreds of parents (who struggle with playfulness) jumping in and shouting, “Yes! THANK YOU! I hate playing, and now I don’t have to!” You might be surprised to hear this… …I don’t totally disagree. Despite what it might look like on my Instagram, I’m not playing with my kids all day. Most of the time, they’re playing on their own. And while I talk a lot about collaborative play, independent play is just as important in our home. You won’t often catch me on the floor building with magnatiles or even coloring. And if my son’s happily playing with his monster trucks, I’m not jumping in with, “Hey, I’ll be the red one!” Kids don’t need us to interrupt like that. AND, interactive play is a huge part of our family’s dynamic too. It’s a joyful way to connect that really matters to the kids and is fun for us, too. Is it the only way to connect? No. But it’s a big one. So, which is better? Independent or interactive play? I just think it’s a silly question. They’re both wonderful for different reasons!😉 Here’s my invitation for you this week: • When you see your child playing independently, stay curious from a distance. Just watch. It’s amazing what they process through play. • If they invite you to join and you’re up for it, jump in without worrying that it’s disruptive. Trust me, one type of play doesn’t cancel out the other. Love, Mia _________________________________
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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.
Hanukkah begins soon, and I wanted to share something special that I put together! A big thank you to Jen, a wonderful mom from our community, who gave me the nudge to create this and helped me review it too. My mother grew up celebrating Hanukkah and we honored the holiday when I was a child, while also celebrating Christmas from my dad’s side. Christmas traditions are what I know most naturally, but Hanukkah has always held a meaningful place in my family story. My grandfather fled...
For November, I drew a cute turkey on the chalkboard pantry door and wrote “Grateful For…” and we each added things throughout the month. Come December, I felt a little sad to wipe it away. Then I thought, “Wait! Maybe we can just do a different theme each month!” So I drew a snowman and wrote “Snow Silly” and decided to write down silly things that happen that make us laugh! (Very on brand, I know). The first thing was me kissing our dog Nike under the mistletoe (because it was making my son...
I was telling my therapist yesterday how TIRED I’ve been. Yes, I have a teething 1yo and a 4yo who occasionally karate-kicks in our one big family bed. But overall I actually sleep pretty decently compared to many moms I know… So of course my inner critic jumps in with “Why are you so tired? You shouldn’t be. You’re not healthy enough. Not active enough. Not drinking enough water. You’re lazy.” That’s all normal negative self talk, right? But here’s the weird thing. THEN, I have a critical...