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Is your child a “know-it-all?”

Being around a “know-it-all” is not fun, and it can challenge even the most patient adult. But let’s reverse the situation… can you imagine what it’s like for children to be around us? We tell them the answers to all of their questions, and sometimes we find ourselves dishing out knowledge on things they didn’t ask us about. Though our role as a parent definitely involves imparting information, sometimes we go overboard to the point of stifling a child’s imagination and creativity.

When it comes to playing with your child, reign in your tendency to teach. To go a step further, pretend like you are dumb. Imagine that you don’t know what the pretend house is used for, nor do you know what to do with the pretend food or other toys. If your child asks you a question, such as, “What is x, y, or z,” you can say, “Well, I’m not sure. How about you decide!” This frees your child to pretend that the house is their school, the colored pencils are rocket ships, or their jump rope a lasso.

Creativity and imagination are hallmarks of childhood that so easily slip through our fingers with age. I encourage you to enter the crazy world of your child by allowing them to decide how to use their toys, and you might find that it unleashes some creative juices in you as well!

Source: Amy Wickstrom, PhD, Marriage and Family Therapist, Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor. The play therapy blog at More Than a Toy (www.morethanatoy.com/blog)