Learn To be a kid again!
Is it just me, or does getting older stink? My back hurts, my eyesight is fading, and even two beers give me a hangover. It might seem dramatic to complain, given that I just turned 30, but unfortunately, all three of these facts are true.
This is the part where most companies would insert a line like, “For just three simple payments of $39.99, you can stop aging entirely.” Well, let me spare you the wait—I can’t stop you from aging. But what I can do is offer you a solution to help your child develop better speech and language skills while simultaneously turning back the clock on your brain!
What’s Happening?
As adults, I think it’s safe to say that most of us are smarter than our toddlers. With our developed brains, life experience, higher education, and advanced logic, it’s pretty clear we have the upper hand. Yet, somehow, we lack the creativity of our children.
The thing I notice most when parents play with their children is the rigidity and need for perfection. Blocks must be used to build structurally sound buildings. Animals must go in the properly sized stalls in the barn.
Parenting often feels like a balancing act. Between work, schedules, and ensuring everyone eats a vegetable, it's easy to see why structure spills over into playtime. But play doesn’t have to feel like just another task—it can become a moment of joy and connection when we loosen our grip and embrace spontaneity.
Our adult lives require order—we need things to be correct and organized so we can put food on the table, make it to appointments on time, and pay the bills. But if we run playtime like a Fortune 500 company, insisting that children play by our rules and routines, we take away a few critical things from them:
Alternative Outcomes:
When we insist toys are used in just one way, we limit our children’s creativity. They stop seeing endless possibilities and learn to follow rigid rules instead. Playtime becomes predictable, not imaginative. We can do better by letting them explore and experiment.Language Models and Vocabulary:
When we direct play in the “right” or most logical way, according to our adult standards, we miss language opportunities. This means we fail to model new or alternative ways to use words.Creative Thinking Opportunities:
Children’s minds aren’t yet locked into rigid thought patterns. When we guide play too much, we deprive them of the chance to problem-solve, experiment, and develop essential skills like critical thinking and creativity.
Turning the Tables
Now that we know what we’re doing, let’s talk about how to change our behavior to better support our kids’ language development. The goal is to encourage alternative outcomes, provide diverse language models, and foster creativity. How do we do this? The answer is simple: let the children lead the play.
Children are exceptionally creative and see the world through a completely different lens. They’ll often try multiple approaches with a new toy or come up with scenarios we’d never imagine. This creativity opens the door to endless new language opportunities.
Here’s what letting the child lead play looks like:
Keep Your Mouth Shut (Kind of):
This is partly a joke, but also not. At the beginning, let your child play without interference. Don’t jump in to “correct” or direct them. Let them show you how they think the toy should be played with. Just be present and observe.Provide Narration:
Once your child has started playing, begin to ask questions or narrate what they’re doing. They often know what they want to happen but might not have the language to express it yet. For example, if your child is running a dinosaur across the floor, you could ask, “Is the dinosaur running under the bridge?”Expand on Their Ideas:
As your child gets comfortable, you can start to expand their play. If they have a horse running, you can make the horse jump, sleep, or eat. Building on their ideas encourages creativity and models new language concepts.
Reclaiming Your Inner Child
At the start of this article, I promised you a way to turn back time on your brain. Okay, maybe I exaggerated a little. I can’t give that to you—but your child can.
Let them show you how to be a kid again: creative like a kid, silly like a kid, free like a kid. Let go of your stress and responsibilities for a few minutes, and let your child take you back to a time filled with silliness and laughter.
Start small. The next time you sit down with your child, pause before jumping in. Let them guide you, show you something new, and remind you what it means to play freely. You just might find that reconnecting with their world changes yours, too.
As parents, we often think we’re the only ones teaching in the parent-child relationship. But the truth is, our children can teach us just as much—if we let them.
At Mondy’s Mission, we proudly support silliness and good times. We’re here to provide you with tools to help develop your child’s speech and language skills while also helping you reconnect with your inner child.
