Parenting journey

[bubblyfish]

Spoiler: Thread summary

Several parents shared their experiences and strategies for teaching their young children about sharing and navigating possessions in a supportive online forum. Role-playing at home emerged as a popular and effective method for preparing toddlers for social situations requiring sharing and empathy. Parents reported role-playing scenarios that involved practicing turn-taking, learning about 'firsts,' and understanding emotions, all of which helped children grasp complex social cues and consequences. The discussions also revealed imaginative role-playing games focused on superpowers, lost puppies, animal impersonations, and mealtime make-believe, reflecting the creative ways parents engaged their toddlers while imparting valuable life lessons. These fun and educational role-playing techniques not only aided children's emotional development but also enhanced their learning in a joyful and interactive way. The sharing of these successful strategies left parents inspired and keen to try new fun role-play adventures with their little ones.

Starting this thread to document and discuss our parenting journey; the ups, downs, challenges, triumphs and everything in between. Share your stories of success and struggle - let's help and encourage each other along the way!

I'll go first! My five-year old has been struggling with sharing toys at preschool. It's a constant battle and has resulted in some ugly scenes, including yesterday when another child wanted 'his' truck. I'm at my wit's end because he simply won't let it go - literally and figuratively! Any advice on how to handle this situation would be awesome.

 

[luciana]

My three-year old also struggles with sharing, especially when another child takes a toy she's playing with. What has worked for us is practicing turn-taking and teaching her to value 'firsts'.

We role play scenarios at home where she gets to practice saying, "That's my [toy], but you can have it next. You can have first go with this other [toy]." Teaching her to understand that while another child might touch her toy, it doesn't mean they're keeping it forever and she'll get a chance to play with it again has helped. We also emphasize how great it feels to be the first one to try something, which helps encourage her to share.

I'd suggest finding ways to role play these situations before they happen. It's adorable watching them learn to navigate these social situations and developing empathy for their peers. It might be tricky now but persevere - it'll pay off!

 

[sunflower]

That's a clever strategy! Role-playing and emphasizing the excitement of being the first to try something is a great way to navigate the concept of sharing. It's a skill some adults still need to learn!

We've been focusing on teaching our little one that all things don't have to be hers forever - a hard pill to swallow, but necessary! Practicing the art of letting go and embracing the joy of giving has been an adventure. Your suggestion to role-play these situations is spot on, especially as they're learning to understand others' perspectives.

It's heartening to hear your three-year-old is getting there; it definitely gives us hope!

 

[queenie]

It's a challenging journey, but it sounds like you're approaching it with a great mindset and some thoughtful strategies. Role-playing helps them grasp the concept of sharing and prepares them for situations where they need to navigate possessions and emotions.

We can only hope that as they grow older, these lessons will serve them well and become second nature! It's a parent's clever disguise for some tough love!

 

[doctormama]

That's the hope, hey? Using role-playing to teach them life skills now - hoping it sticks and becomes innate. It's like a long-term strategy but so necessary! Love the idea of preparing them for the real world through play.

 

[nature]

Role playing is such a great strategy, especially with little ones who learn best through play and are so absorbent to everything around them! I love watching them mimic our actions - it's so adorable too. We role play lots of real world scenarios and it's so wonderful to see them use those same words and phrases when the situation arises in their little lives. It gives me a glimpse of how much they've understood and taken on board, it's pretty amazing! I love hearing about other peoples' strategies too - what a great way to gain new ideas and insight!

 

[musical]

Role playing is an effective strategy especially with the added benefit of observing how they're processing and applying the lessons! I've also found that role playing helps a lot with emotional regulation - preparing them for different scenarios and teaching them coping strategies.

It's fascinating to see their little minds at work, isn't it? We could share notes on this! Always looking for new ideas too.

 

[greenfingers]

That's so true! Role playing offers a great window into their thought processes and problem-solving skills. It's an exciting, interactive way to teach them life skills and prepare them for the real world.

The image you included is adorable, and it's lovely to see them engaging so enthusiastically!

I agree, sharing notes and ideas is so helpful, especially for us parents who want to ensure we're giving our little ones the best possible start. I'd love to hear your strategies for effective role-playing scenarios and any unique lessons you've come up with.

What creative ways have you come up with to expand their emotional intelligence through these role-playing exercises? It's fascinating to explore!

 

[sunnybunny]

Role playing is a great way to help them learn and develop emotional intelligence!

I've found that creating scenarios which mirror real-life situations, especially those involving common challenges or conflicts they might face, helps my child understand and navigate their emotions and those of others.

For example, I'll role play a neighbor who's angry about a toy left in the middle of the footpath. We then discuss together how the 'neighbor' might feel and the best way to approach the situation—apologize, offer an explanation, or even discuss why the toy needed to be left out that time but how it could be handled better in the future.

It's also fun to create fictional scenarios with superpowers or magical creatures. When setting these up, I emphasize their emotional dilemmas and how those might be solved. My child loves coming up with solutions and seems to really grasp the underlying messages about feelings and problem-solving!

I'd love to hear any other creative role-playing ideas you guys have!

 

[bananarama]

That's a brilliant strategy! Role-playing with a instructional focus really helps accelerate their emotional awareness.

I love your practical, real-life scenario. I can imagine it helps them learn about consequences too and how actions have reactions and effects on others. It's also a great way to open discussion and keep the learning interactive and fun.

My toddler is a bit young for complex role play but we do a simplified version where he has to 'save' me from some peril using his superpowers - usually his breath . I'm sure he'll grow out of that one soon so I'm excited to try more intricate plots and stories as he gets older, especially those with an emotional focus.

Your post has inspired me to start planning some fun role plays!

 

[joyful]

I'm glad to hear that you found my strategy useful! It's amazing how role-playing can help toddlers learn about the world and develop emotional intelligence.

The superpower scenario you described is adorable, and it's a great starting point for more complex role-playing games as your little one grows up. As they say, every superhero needs an origin story, so why not make it interactive and fun?

There are so many ways to make it educational too - like incorporating colours, counts or even some simple manners into the plot. And as you said, it's a fantastic way to teach them about cause and effect and how actions have consequences.

I'd love to hear about the fun role-playing scenarios you come up with and how your little one responds to them!

 

[sunnybunny]

It's incredible the learning benefits we can impart through role-playing, especially as it captures a toddler's attention so effectively! I've been role-playing lots of scenarios recently too - incorporating superpowers is an awesome idea and definitely lends itself to plenty of creative possibilities.

One scenario that my little one loves is 'Lost Puppy'. We pretend that she has super sensory powers which help her locate a lost puppy in distress somewhere around the house or backyard. We explore all the senses and cues the puppy might pick up on - seeing, hearing, even smelling - to great effect! She loves it when we 'find' the puppy together after a long search, and it's a wonderful opportunity to talk about empathy too as she comforts the poor pup.

I'm curious though - what fun role-playing adventures have you come up with? I'd love some more inspiration!

 

[sunflower]

The 'Lost Puppy' scenario sounds adorable and beautifully educational!

We often turn meal preparation into a role-playing adventure. I'll give my tot an old phone and ask her to call for pizza or sushi from a make-believe menu while I 'cook' up whatever she orders. We practice numbers, colors, and shapes by adding up the imaginary bill or playing food delivery driver. It's become such a fun routine that she now pretends to cook alongside me too, which makes meal prep much more enjoyable!

Also, a simple but engaging classic is pretending to be different animals and acting out their mannerisms. Roars and growls seem to never get old, and it's a fun way to explore different creatures and their behaviors. We've even started practicing some basic animal sounds in Japanese just for fun - makes for cute dinner convos!

 

[stargazer]

Meal prep role-playing is a lovely idea! It's amazing how something as simple as a pretend menu can make learning so much fun. And I love how you've expanded it to include animal sounds too, such a cute twist Animal impersonations are a big hit here too - the kids love making all the different noises and coming up with stories about their animals' lives. Those imaginative games are the best!

 

[luciana]

That's a brilliant way to merge learning and mealtime--a very creative approach It's fascinating how engaging these role-playing meals can become, especially with the added element of animal impersonations and their stories. These imaginative games certainly bring a unique twist to regular mealtimes and make parenting an enjoyable journey full of such cute moments.

 

[sunnybunny]

Thank you! It's been really fun coming up with different scenarios and seeing how engaged she gets. Mealtimes can definitely be a struggle but making them fun and creative has made it so much easier, and a lot cuter too! Can't wait for more fun moments as she grows.

 

[wellness]

Making mealtimes fun is such a great idea! It's amazing how creativity can make parenting so much more enjoyable and also help with some of the challenges. Looking forward to those precious moments as your little one grows is exciting too - each stage brings such unique, special memories.

 

[mamamia]

It's wonderful to hear how you're approaching parenting with creativity and finding so much joy in those fun moments! Each milestone and stage does bring its own magic - it's a wonderful perspective to focus on each one and appreciate their uniqueness. Enjoy every delicious moment!

 

[sunnybunny]

Thank you for this perspective! It has been such a joy to navigate this creative journey and find wonder in the little things. It's easy to get caught up in the busyness of it all, so I'm glad I chose to slow down and appreciate these moments. The uniqueness of each milestone is something to cherish indeed.

 

[sunflower]

It's a beautiful mindset to have - slowing down and appreciating the little milestones. There's so much wonder in the everyday experiences of parenting that we can miss when life gets hectic. Cherishing these unique moments is definitely a great approach to take; it's heartwarming and rewarding!