Module 3: Play and Having Fun with Your Child

Homeopath Edel Bolger O’Hora (Jan 2023)
It is through communication that families are defined and members learn how to organise meanings. When individuals come together to form family relationships, they create a system that is larger and more complex than the sum of its individual members. Communication and engagement support the development and learning of families’ children, strengthens their competence as parents, and provides a source of comfort and support in times of need. Positive communication helps to build trust within the family. Play is the opportunity for this positivity.

Playing and having fun connect you with your children. It is an opportunity to let the hair down, be light hearted and let your child see you in a different light. Safety is important while playing too. Art, story telling, dancing and physical activity stimulates emotions and feelings and reduces anxiety and depression. It relaxes the parents and children thus helping in the sleep patterns. It assists the development of the child.
 
There are different types of play too for different ages:
Onlooker Play: Child watches another child playing without participating in the activity. Helps child learn new behaviours or skills and can help a shy child adjust more easily to a new situation
Parallel Play: Children play alongside each other, but independently of each other. Each child is focused on their own activity.
Associative Play: Children play in close proximity and may share materials or lend and borrow items but each child has its own task.
Co-operative Play: Organised group activity. Children work together to do a task (eg). build blocks to make a house, and may have to follow specific rules which each child must obey (eg) play football. This helps children to expand their vocabulary, use facial expressions and gestures, develop social skills and make friends.
Social Fantasy Play: (eg) Dress up in a specific fantasy role such as fireman. Helps child to assume leadership roles and manage their own feelings.
 
Parents affirm the value of their children through play.  This helps the young to develop positive, healthy attitudes about themselves. Having a calendar for all the events of the week can be very helpful for parents to coordinate help and support for their children when getting to and from events.
 
At times children can ‘push a parent’s buttons’ causing a sense of tension within the relationships. This exposes our own fears, insecurities and core beliefs. There are many buttons: approval, control, appreciation, responsibility, fix it, guilt, resentment and incompetence button. As parents we can have some or many of these buttons that will blind our sense of perspective and clarity when negotiating acceptible boundries with our children.

Play and activity can be associated with bruises, and bumps where children are concerned. It is good to be ‘first aid’ ready with the Homeopathy kit. Remedies such as Calendula, Arnica and Magnesium Phos can be really helpful in these events. This module has a look at these remedies.
 
Communicating well takes practice and effort. It is not something that comes naturally for most of us. Children learn the most by communicating with us and by watching how adults communicate with each other. We need to be sure to be good role models and to take the time to listen and clearly send our own messages. Play is an opportunity to build trust within the family, to enjoy each other and to affirm our own parenting style.
 
Reference:

•  2003 Bonnie Harris  ‘When Your Kids Push Your Buttons And What You Can Do About It’
• LifeStart Foundation Parenting Programme (Sligo)/Barnardos
  (Phase 3 Unit 1,2,3) orla@lifestartfoundation.org
• National Childhood Network & Health Service Executive: Healthy Ireland Start Smart – Health Promotion Programme for Pre-school Services indo@ncn.ie
• Child Safety Inside & Outside the Home: National Injury Prevention Committee. Animo Communications

Homeopathy Consultation is a process tailored on a case by case basis. It identifies the individuals reaction to the world they live in and provides homeopathic medicines to give a long term, natural and positive approach to your health and well being.
 
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