Playfulness, as we all know, is something that comes really easily and naturally to our children. It seems like they could turn any object into a toy. They can turn the most boring thing into a game, but it does not come so easily to us parents. Our lives are serious and stressful, and we often don't have the time or the capacity to be playful.

It's hard to be playful when you're thinking about all the tragic world events that are going on right now, or when you're preoccupied by a work email, or even what's for dinner.

So what can we we do to be there for our children, by being playful?

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Parenting Translator is hosted by Dr. Cara Goodwin and is produced by Earfluence.

Dr. Cara Goodwin, Ph.D., is a child psychologist and mother to three children who "translates" research on parenting and child development into information that is accurate, relevant, and useful to parents.