April 12, 2022

Do We Really Have to Be Our Kids' Constant Playmates?

Do We Really Have to Be Our Kids' Constant Playmates?

Toddlers. They are the neediest. But we don’t have endless time to play Legos because they can’t entertain themselves. So how do we train our little ones to play on their own? And how do we train ourselves to trust them to do so?

"Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom." The call of the wild toddler rouses us from the deepest sleep. It's nice to be needed, right? Well, not CONSTANTLY. You do have a life, after all. (You do have a life, right?) It may seem like your toddler is unable to play alone, but that's not unusual.

Teaching your kid to entertain himself is a process, and luckily there are some methods you can use to make that process a little more bearable and a little less tearful. (His tears and yours.)

In this episode, Molly and Blaire discuss:

  • How to start your kid (and yourself) off slowly
  • The specific challenges of only children
  • How to have patience with yourself during this process


Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in today's episode:

janetlansbury.com: "Stop Entertaining Your Toddler (In 3 Steps)"

Laura Grande for Today's Parent: "5 ways to get your kid to play alone"

Meghan Leahy for The Washington Post: "When Kids Want Parents to Play All the Time"

Special thanks to this month's sponsors:

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