Why does a child who feels close to you listen more easily? Dr. Laura Markham starts with a simple answer: we ask children to do things all day, and when they feel we are on their side, they are much more likely to go along with it, even when there are still big feelings. In this LiveTalk she talks about the 2-year-old who follows you around the house, what Special Time is and why ten minutes of it can make the rest of the day easier, and what to do when it doesn’t seem to work.
Laura explains what roughhousing and laughter do for a child’s stress and fears, how to keep it safe with simple rules like “what happens if somebody says stop?”, and shares laughing games for separation worries, for a child who likes to be the boss and for a child who only wants one parent, plus games you can play lying on the couch. She talks about when not to try for a laugh, and where to start when you have nothing left at the end of the day. In the Q&A she answers a parent whose 3.5-year-old wants pretend play all the time, and a parent whose 5-year-old comes home with a full emotional backpack and just wants the TV.
Chapters
- 0:00 Welcome and introduction
- 1:54 Why kids listen more when they feel close to you
- 3:04 The 2-year-old who follows you everywhere
- 6:45 What Special Time is
- 12:16 Why ten minutes can change the rest of the day
- 12:59 When Special Time doesn't seem to work
- 17:33 Special Time with more than one child
- 20:25 Why roughhousing helps children
- 27:11 Keeping roughhousing safe
- 33:13 Laughing games to try at home
- 41:45 Games you can play lying on the couch
- 45:54 When not to try for a laugh
- 47:57 The smallest place to start when you're exhausted
- 52:56 Q&A: a 3.5-year-old who wants pretend play all day
- 56:33 Laura's closing thought: delight
- 58:24 Q&A: a full emotional backpack and the TV
- 1:02:49 Where to find Laura
