Pacific Spirit Play Resources

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Attention

Attention: Parents and Caregivers of Children 3-10 Years Old

Build a Stronger Relationship with Your Child

Discover

Discover how Parent-Child Play can encourage your child’s healthy development and strengthen the connection you have with him or her.

If you’re worried about your relationship with your child or want to facilitate a stronger connection with your child, you’ve come to the right place.

Some reasons you may be here:

  • Your child is rejecting your efforts to engage and connect in a meaningful way
  • Your child is struggling with strong emotions such as anger, frustration, anxiety or sadness
  • There is conflict between you and your child that seems to be getting worse
  • Your family is dealing with a stressful situation, such as a move, divorce, new baby, or death
  • You are struggling to find time to connect in positive ways with your child

You might feel:

  • discouraged or inadequate as a parent
  • afraid and anxious that things may get worse
  • angry or frustrated with your child
  • helpless as to what to do

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You may also have heard

You may also have heard that playing with your child is encouraged and recommended by child development experts.

Oh no! you say…

  • You already feel overwhelmed because your child is constantly asking you to play
  • You feel stressed because you have very little time to play
  • You feel guilty for not spending more time playing with your child
  • You have sometimes felt unsure of just how to play with your child
  • You have even felt bored playing with your child at times, maybe like “what’s the point?”

These are very common feelings that many parents have.

Parenting is very rewarding

Parenting is very rewarding, but also very challenging!

As a parent today you have huge demands placed on you as well as time constraints to fulfill numerous obligations.

AND, since the COVID-19 pandemic, you’re likely stretched to the limit.

That being said:

  • You want to support your child’s healthy development
  • You want to have a strong and positive relationship with your child
  • You want to enjoy spending time with your child

The good news is that, even when time is short, you CAN learn ways to play effectively with your child so that:

  • your relationship with your child grows and strengthens
  • you support your child’s healthy development
  • you feel more confident playing with your child, and you even enjoy it more!

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Benefits of Parent-Child Play

Benefits of Parent-Child Play

We have learned from recent research that children need many positive, face-to-face interactions with their parents or caregivers in order for healthy growth and development. Play activities between you and your child are some of the best ways you can provide these positive, face-to-face interactions.

Parent-child play is also one of the best ways to build and strengthen your relationship with your child. You can offer unique benefits by playing with your child that child-child play interactions do not offer. Although children still benefit from playing with other children, you can offer more advanced ways of playing to your child.

When you play with your child, you are providing your child with the positive benefits of play in general. Child development experts all agree that play is essential for healthy child development.

Time spent in play with your child can be one of the most beneficial and valuable things you can provide for your child.

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I can help

I can help you and your child reap the benefits of parent-child play.

The resources offered on this website will focus on how you can play effectively with your 3 to 10-year old child in ways that will:

  • strengthen your relationship with your child
  • help you to support your child’s healthy development
  • help you to better enjoy playing with your child

Why am I well-suited to provide these parent-child play resources?

Kathy Eugster, Child and Family TherapistMy name is Kathy Eugster and I am a retired Child and Family Therapist and Play Therapist.

For close to 20 years, I provided counselling and play therapy services to children, mainly between the ages of 3 to 10 years old, and their families. During that time, I saw many young children with challenging emotional and behavioral problems. Not only did I work to help the child heal and recover, I also worked with the child’s parents or caregivers to support them in supporting their child.

After retiring, I was inspired to help parents in general learn some effective ways to play with their children. I am passionate about helping parents to connect more deeply with their children and also to support their child’s healthy growth and development. Not only that, I also wanted to help parents enjoy playing with their children!

As a Play Therapist, I was drawn to the play therapy approaches that included parents in helping their children towards optimal development and I recognize the enormous benefits of play for children, especially if the play involves their parents.

Contact me at: keugster@telus.net.