elevating child care

Don’t Cramp Your Toddler’s Style – The Power Of Trust

Posted by janet on Sep 13th, 2011

“There are certain things children are obliged to do, but in play where there is no obligation, they come to something new and fresh. Play is a trying out experimenting. It’s not a joke, children don’t play for fun. They play for real, and adults don’t understand that; they laugh at what children do. To children, play is very serious.” –Educator Margaret Flinsch

Imagine you and the grandparents are taking your 14-month-old to the beach for the very first time. For days you’ve all been enjoying fantasies about how you’ll share the magic with your baby: making sand castles, finding shells, sitting under an umbrella with a yummy picnic lunch, holding her hand and wading in the ocean together. But then you get there and your toddler chooses to do something surprising and a little bit odd — it throws you for a loop. She’s in no danger, isn’t bothering anyone and is obviously following her desires, but you worry… Is it okay? Should I try to engage her in the activities I’ve planned or just let her be (and if so, for how long?).

Infant specialist Magda Gerber would strongly encourage you to let go of your expectations and agenda, relax, trust, keep an open mind and enjoy your baby’s play, allowing her to continue her self-chosen activity for as long as you can. She’d suggest you take advantage of the opportunity to join her on this child-led adventure (which Magda referred to as “wants nothing” quality time).

“Most of us are used to, and conditioned to doing something. “Wants nothing” time is different, more a time for taking in and waiting. We fully accept the infants’ beingness just by our own receptive beingness. Our presence is telling the child that we are really there and aware.” -Magda Gerber

Self-directed play encourages toddlers to be independent thinkers and learners, allows for creative exploration and self-expression, and often serves as play therapy since our babies instinctively know what they’re working on (or working through). Honoring our child’s choices rather than imposing our own validates more than any amount of praise and adulation ever could.

Here’s the vivid example that inspired this post, sent to me by a mom in my RIE Parent/Infant Guidance Class after she returned from a late summer vacation…

Janet,

I just have to share these pictures with you. To everyone’s amazement, Eva just kept lying down on the sand! She would just lie there and hang out by herself. My parents were sort of shocked and like…’what is she doing?’ I was thinking Magda would be proud and that her actions were a testament to what I’ve learned at RIE…just to let her be her!

xoxox

Tracy

“This is a free-flowing space in which the child should not feel he has to perform, because the parent is not sending out the kind of demanding messages that say, “I am here now, what shall we do?” –Magda Gerber

“If the infant seems to ignore you and is doing something completely on his own, don’t leave. It is very comforting for him to know you are there, really there, without any pressure to have to do something to keep your attention.” –Gerber

“Do less, enjoy more.” -Gerber

“In play, there’s no time.” –Flinsch

(Besides being an exceptional mom, Tracy is an uber-talented artist and “exercise innovator“)

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41 Responses to “Don’t Cramp Your Toddler’s Style – The Power Of Trust”

Aunt Annie's Childcare says:

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I LOVE those photos! That child has captured a sense of freedom which many adults have lost.

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Kari says:

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Simple, true message- and precious pictures that speak for themselves! Thanks for posting this!

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lilly says:

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ahhh!!! i love these photos! Eva is clearly following her bliss, and what a wonderful mom to allow her just that!

hooray. hooray.

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- patty bright says:
  
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  Ah, ha, I know this is a comment by you, Elizabeth…Your loving momma
  
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suzyfein says:

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I could not love these photos more. Thanks so much to Tracy for sharing them. We are taking our toddler to the beach for the first time in October (she will be 14 months). Now that I’ve seen these, I am even more excited to see what she comes up with.

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amaru says:

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such a beautiful moment. i am sure many adults wish to do “silly” unexpected things at times but are forced, usually by themselves, to conform. it is nice to see children who have not yet been taught that they must conform!

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Polly Palumbo says:

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Hi Janet! Hurray for play. It’s amazing what kids (of any age) will do when they or we shut off all the devices, instructions not to mention highly structured lesson and practices! Well, it shouldn’t be so remarkable but unfortunately often seems so in our new social media environment. I’m always a little sad when another parent finds it surprising when kids create and explore on their own…

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- janet says:
  
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  Hi Polly! Yes, hurray, hurray! But even without so much structured time, don’t you think parents generally believe (especially with the first child) that we should be playing with our babies? Which usually means the baby follows and we lead, or at least have a big influence… I know that I believed those things before meeting Magda Gerber.
  
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Julia says:

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Love this. Thank you.

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Enid says:

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Great pictures! I love the long expanse of wet sand.

I’m thankful that my daughter is at an age now (near 2 1/2) when my watchfulness can be a bit more hands-off. She loves exploring and bringing me things. Lately we closely examined some neighbors’ garden rocks; before that it was cicada husks and carcasses. I must say I prefer the rocks.

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Lisa says:

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This post has really challenged me. I have to admit that I would be the parent saying, “OK honey that is enough lying on the ground. Let’s go splash in the water now!” It is not that I don’t value child-led play, but I would have had trouble recognizing beach-laying AS play, and would have been focused on getting my child to choose from one of the activities I had been fantasizing about. But your post has gotten my gears turning…

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- janet says:
  
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  Thank you, Lisa. I love, love, LOVE your honesty. I think your feelings are shared by many.
  
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Connie says:

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I love this and would love suggestions how to encourage my husband to appreciate the importance of “allowing [the child] to continue her self-chosen activity for as long as you can. ” When playing with our 2.5 yr old, say, with blocks, my husband is constantly trying to show the boy “look! look what we can do with these!” rather than just letting the boy do with them what is in his own mind. My husband has all the right intentions, wants to make it a really rich play experience for the child, but I think he doesn’t need to butt in until the boy has shown signs of running out of his own creative gas. Thoughts appreciated.

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- janet says:
  
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  Hi Connie! Dads definitely need the space to develop their own relationship with their kids. But, unfortunately, the dynamic your noticing can sometimes discourage the child from making things himself… Daddy or Mommy can do it so much better! My educational tactic (with just about everyone) is modeling and providing examples… Like making sure to mention how difficult it was not to help your son with the puzzle or blocks, but being happily surprised by the results of your patience.
  
  I’ve often shared about the toddler I observed playing with a puzzle…the kind with little handles for each piece. Rather than put the pieces in the puzzle as she “should”, this little girl balanced the pieces on top of each other — quite a difficult task — and managed to stack 4 pieces. That took far more “skill” than putting the pieces back where they belonged, and it was a great lesson in the power of letting go and “trusting the child”.
  
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  - Connie says:
    
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    Thanks for the input. I think he tends to agree in theory but in practice he isn’t even aware he’s derailing the child’s self-chosen activity. Which makes it sort of a more difficult situation to rectify since he doesn’t really realize he’s doing it. Not the end of the world but still.
    
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    - Julie says:
      
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      Its easier for me to notice when my husband does that than when I do it. Its going to happen sometimes, and a little input now and then is OK. As long as you provide the child with “wants nothing” time, its all good. Not every play session needs to be like that. Its just as important that dad forms a confident and solid relationship with the kid. So tell him your suggestion, or forward a link, then let it go. He’s not going to screw the kid up.
      
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      - Danielle says:
        
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        I actually empathise strongly with Connie here, and I don’t think it’s merely a matter of ‘ He’s not going to screw the kid up’. (though I def see yur point Julie! Dads have their own special daddy bonds with the kiddies!)
        
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Lauren says:

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Thank you for this. I needed this validation!

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cee says:

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Thank you from a mom who feels constantly she’s not doing enough play and activities! Love the reminder to let them be and honor their choices. Great photos!

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- janet says:
  
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  You’re welcome! It was a big eye-opener (not to mention relief) for me to realize that initiating and directing play with my children was not part of my parenting job description. Yes, our children need our undivided attention for periods of time each day. No, it’s not up to us to make a plan for these time periods other than being fully present.
  
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Masha says:

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SO GREAT!!!!!! LOVES THESE SHOTS AND THE QUOTES…. SO FANTASTIC. THANKS FOR SHARING!!!

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Sarah says:

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I love the photos of the bubba lying on the sand. It makes you wonder what it is that’s she’s feeling or seeing. Is it the feel of the wet sand on her back, the change in perspective, both or something else. Perhaps adults need to play more too

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- janet says:
  
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  Sarah, those are the kinds of ponderings I always enjoy while observing children play. That’s really the beauty of this… Not only is it freeing, educational, therapeutic and all around wonderful for this toddler, this is the key to parenting joy, too, if we can just let go and let it happen.
  
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- Sarah says:
  
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  Yes, that’s exactly what I was thinking…she was obviously relishing thatexperience and Id love to know whatwas so amazing about it!
  
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Nanette says:

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Great post! I love the pictures, too. I really struggle with this topic as my daughter has developmental delays due to low muscle tone. She and I generally have a great time playing games together, but her favorite solo activity is to play with black nylon straps (on her backpack and her ergo carrier). She could play with straps forever. I struggle with the question of to redirect or not!?!! On the one hand, she is making great leaps since we started OT, but this is definitely not “age-appropriate” play. On the other hand, shouldn’t she be allowed some time to do what she wants without it being work! Is her desire to play with the straps because they are fulfilling some need (maybe fine motor practice) or a symptom of her inability to do more exciting activities because of her muscles. I wish I had answers.

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- janet says:
  
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  Nanette, thanks for sharing your thoughts and questions. Since your daughter spends time doing OT, I would believe it even more important for her free time to be hers to use as she wishes. I have to admit that the term “age-appropriate play” offends me a little. Who are we to decide what kind of play is age-appropriate? Don’t our judgments defeat the very purpose of play? Shouldn’t play belong completely to the people playing? If there’s anything in the world that shouldn’t be “one size fits all” it should be play, don’t you think?
  
  So, my response to your questions (not that you asked…sorry) would be to trust your daughter 100%. Allow her to work on the straps and whatever else she’s interested in working on, even if it doesn’t seem important to anyone else. Allow her to achieve mastery whenever possible, through her own desired activities. She may not master all the things others believe she “should” by a particular age, but she will gain something far more important…self-confidence.
  
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  - Nanette says:
    
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    Exactly! What is ‘age-appropriate?’ I had all kinds of fun doing things that were too young or too old for me. I loved playing with dolls well past the time when most girls had put them away, but I also read classic literature instead of kids books. So, who’s to say what is age-appropriate.
    
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Chris says:

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Great post and congrats on being Freshly Pressed!

My wife and I totally try to let the self directed play of our toddler go on as long as possible. Not only does it allow him to explore his environment on his own terms and learn from his experiences, it makes for a bit of rest (and usually a laugh) for us.

On a side not related to your experience at the beach, our 20 month old son did exactly the same thing at the beach last month. He chased the waves in and out for a bit then laid down right at the high water mark and let the water come to him. We had planned on walking the beach as he never stops running, except this once.

Oh, and your daughter is way too cute!

Cheers,
Chris

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Lee Fernandez says:

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Hi Janet, You definitely hit a resounding chord with this entry. I love it that we can scratch our heads and wonder why/what our toddlers are doing. And I love it even more that we can just let them be. LeeF

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- janet says:
  
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  Me, too! Lee, do you still have your wonderful article about infant/toddler play spaces posted somewhere? I was thinking about it the other day. Would love to be able to link to it.
  
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Leslie says:

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Love these photos! And especially love how the mom laid down with her – Do less, enjoy more!

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AnneMarie says:

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I love this! When I first took my daughter to the park, I introduced her to the typical things for a small child, but she always went for the dirt. So I began bringing shovels and buckets. That’s all she wanted to do was play in the dirt. She now just wants to climb up the ladder. Over and over and over. She wants nothing to do with the swings, and only sometimes wants to go down the slide. Only if she gets there with her own two feet. So be it.
I have recently started following your blog and am absolutely intrigued. I enjoy it so much because most of what you write about I feels in line with our beliefs as parents. We have been doing much of it at home already, and all the gaps we have as new parents are being filled by experience and helpful insights from you (and other peaceful parents). Thank you Janet.
AnneMarie

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lindsay says:

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such beautiful images! i wish i could *be* that sweet baby on the sand, just for a few minutes. maybe i’m romanticizing, but she seems so, so content . . . i’m trying to remember the last time i felt that way. probably while hanging out with my own babe. who wouldn’t want to give her kid that gift? i hope i can remember to do it more often. your blog is such a great reminder, a re-commitment to the things i know i believe but sometimes fail to practice.

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- janet says:
  
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  Thank you, Lindsay! “i wish i could *be* that sweet baby on the sand, just for a few minutes“…. I won’t stop you.
  
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Lala Mama says:

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The pics are so cute! I wish my daughter had been the same as this little toddler…mine instead decided she didn’t want anything to do with sand until we went to Maui recently. The first time she encountered sand was at 14 mths old…and she just turned 3 years old.

Although I was surprised she didn’t like touching sand at all…we let her be. We figured by 16, she’ll WANT to be on the beach, barefoot, with all that sand around her LOLOL!

Another thing I wanted to say: I often find that kids TEACH us a lot about how to learn and relearn many things – and obviously not from books. We really oughta listen to them and learn from them more often.

Awesome post!!

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Kristin says:

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I love your blog and all of these topics and have been trying to put them into practice with my three year old. I feel there is a time for all of it, I think there is time for self direction, parallel play with us and play where we are truly interacting with time or offering structured activities. My daughter plays so much by herself now compared to prior that sometimes I feel oh I should be playing with her and engaging her, but I would like to remember the balance. There hardly seems time for it all.

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- janet says:
  
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  Thanks, Kristin! I understand how the transition to allowing for more independent play for your daughter could make you feel as if you aren’t interacting with her enough. But this comes down (again) to trusting children. They always let you know when they need “together” time. When independent play is working, I would never mess with it!
  
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Jen says:

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It seems that sand is very inviting to the young toddler for just being. We just took my 16 month old to Hawaii and he enjoyed diving into a pile of sand somone else had left, sitting in a sand hole and just feeling the sand with his hands, feet and mouth. He also bent over to rub the top of his head in the sand. (and maybe to see the world upside down?) Instead of laying in the wet sand he did go sit there and giggle at the water coming up to touch his toes or go all the way to his belly. Watching him enjoy it all was so much fun for us.

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Laura says:

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Awesome I have learned so much from your blogs. The beach is great. No chasing, no worries. Well, unless he eats a fistful of sand. Even then…the only consequence is that he’ll have really sandy poop the next day.

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Lorette Lavine says:

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Beautiful pictures…a lovely way to allow a child to truly enjoy a trip to the beach!
Thanks for sharing this.

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Amanda says:

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I absolutely love this!!!!

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Don’t Cramp Your Toddler’s Style – The Power Of Trust

41 Responses to “Don’t Cramp Your Toddler’s Style – The Power Of Trust”

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