TORONTO -- Striking the delicate balance between parenting and productivity has become increasingly challenging for parents during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially for those with young children who have yet to learn how to play independently.
But experts say there is no time like the present to help your children develop a sense of independence through play, allowing parents to claim some well-deserved time for themselves during isolation.
“It’s great for our kids to have opportunities to play on their own because lots of skills, language and imaginative experiences come out of that type of play,” child development and parenting expert, Caron Irwin, told CTV’s Your Morning Tuesday.
“[But] it’s overwhelming for us to tell our kids to go to the play room and play because [kids want to know] what do I play with, how long am I going to be here?”
Irwin says independent play is an essential skill for kids, but it’s one that parents need to teach collaboratively with their children.
Your children’s ability to play independently will vary based on their age and their experiences in play — whether they are only children, siblings, or how often they interact with other children, for example.
The biggest challenge most parents encounter is explaining the concept of time. In order to set your children up for success, she suggests giving them a tangible cue to understand how long they are to play by themselves.
“If you say, ‘I need you to play for 30 minutes while I get some emails done,’ they might not have a concept of time,” she said.
“Instead if we set up a playlist of their favourite songs and say, ‘I need you to go play for all of these songs and when the songs are done let’s come together and kick the soccer ball outside.’”
Irwin notes that one of the best ways for parents to combat interruptions and the constant tugging-at-the-sleeves that comes with isolation boredom is to dedicate some time to child-directed play every day.
She suggests setting aside 10 to 15 minutes of play time when kids can lead their parents.
“That type of time you spend with your kids needs to be child directed — where you take the backseat and they lead you through what they want you to do,” she explains.
“Having that experience helps give them autonomy, helps give them the attention they need and crave, which helps them be more forgiving later on in the day when you need them to entertain themselves when you need to get things done.”
Irwin, who provides regular advice for parents grappling with the ongoing COVID-19 isolation on her Instagram page, also recommends giving children play exercises that help them release the emotions they may not be able to express -- especially during times like these.
“Giving your kid a crayon and telling them to just scribble, letting them run and pound the pavement with their feet, or throw a ball hard against the wall on repeat are all activities that we should be encouraging our kids to do often,” she wrote in a recent Instagram post.
“Guiding your kids to these safe outlets will benefit them in BIG ways. Plus, they are fun and freeing which might help turn those hard, uncomfortable feelings into a smile or giggle.”
