The Power of Play….hmmm. Yes, PLAY.. it has value for all. What does it mean to you? Do you look at play as a trivial thing or something you don’t have time to do?
Think back to your childhood. What are some of your fondest memories? That yearly camping trip. You are jumping in the waves at the beach and maybe riding your bike all over town? Great times huh? Who were you with? By yourself, with that group of friends for life, or maybe your family?
The Power of Exercise
You see and hear all the time about the problems of childhood and adult obesity. So, beside the power of play, the real issues being that of poor nutrition and physical inactivity. Do you feel under pressure all the time or wish that life had 26 hours in the day. SOLUTION, play. Make it a family affair. Playing helps with all our stresses and allows us to refresh and recharge ourselves mentally, emotionally, and physically. You are playing as a family creates stronger bonds and better communication.
Find and try new sports and hobbies, whether it’s your wife’s kickboxing class, your son’s Wii skating game, your husband’s hotrod car show, or your daughter’s dance class. You may think you won’t enjoy it, but it may be one of your favorites, you don’t know it until you try it. So what’s stopping you?
The Power of Communicating
I encourage you to sit down and talk. Take the calendar and set time aside. Rotate, so everyone in the family is a teacher and a student. Example “Every Wednesday the family is having time after dinner to learn or do something new.
Here are some fun, simple activities for the family to enjoy:
Nightly Walk – Use this time after dinner to burn off extra energy and chat and check in on how everybody’s day was. ‘Plant Something – Plant an additional tree or flowers in the yard…a little dirt doesn’t hurt. Value Movie – Get a good movie, but grab one with a value. After watching, use it for a brief moment of teaching life’s values and lessons.
Morning Stretch – When you get up in the morning, take five minutes together to stretch and express how you feel or what your goals are for the day.
Finally, make playing FUN. Be creative and spontaneous; sometimes, the best control is no control and going with the flow.
The Power of Play Tip for the Day, “A family that plays together, stays together.”