Episode 100: Reconnecting to Play for Our Own Wellbeing with Amanda Evans
/It's my 100th episode in The Balanced Parent Podcast! I can't believe it has already been this long and I want to extend my sincerest gratitude for tuning in, for sending in your feedback, for sharing your takeaways with me, and for welcoming me into your homes and hearts each week. I am on a mission to bring more presence, ease, & connection to parenting, and I couldn't think of a better community to be doing this important work with. Thank you so much for your dedication to this work; I honestly believe that together we are changing the world, one child at a time.
Okay so, you see, as we grow older, the weight of expectations and responsibilities of adulting and parenting put so much pressure on us and we get the overwhelming message from our culture that it's time to "grow up" and leave childish things behind. And while yes, we are the grown ups and no one is coming to save us, we are also human beings, equally deserving of time, rest, and yes, even fun! But figuring out how to have simple pleasures in our lives just as we did when we were children, is so NOT simple. There are parts of us that resist it, that see it as frivolous, unproductive and therefore unnecessary, and those parts need a bit of time, attention, and healing, before we can play with ease.
Which is why this week we are focusing on how we can use play for our own inner work and healing. For this week's episode, I am joined by Amanda Evans. She is a Parent Coach, Speaker, and Intuitive Energy/Play-based Healer who is passionate about supporting children and families to be their happiest and healthiest selves! Her own healing journey taught her so much about the extraordinary healing powers of play, love and connection and helped her develop her "stay and play method" to supporting both children and parents alike. She is dedicated to helping people take their health and happiness into their own hands, believing in their own magic and the power to heal from within.
Here is a summary of our discussion:
Healing the child while healing a parent's inner child
Connection and play-based ways to heal and grow
How to re-parent ourselves
To give you more support, follow Amanda on Instagram @mind_body_soul_miracles and visit her website www.mindbodysoulmiracles.com.
TRANSCRIPT
Parenting is often lived in the extremes. It's either great joy or chaotic overwhelm. In one moment, you're nailing it and the next you're losing your cool. I want to help you find your way to the messy middle, to a place of balance. You see balance is a verb, not a state of being. It is a thing you do; not a thing you are. It is an action, a process, a series of micro corrections that you make each and every day to keep yourself feeling centered. We are never truly balanced. We are engaged in the process of balancing.
Hello, I'm Dr. Laura Froyen and this is The Balanced Parent Podcast where overwhelmed, stressed out and disconnected parents go to find tools, mindset shifts, and practices to help them stop yelling at the people they love and start connecting on a deeper level. All delivered with heaping doses of grace and compassion. Join me in conversations that will help you get clear on your goals and values and start showing up in your parenting, your relationships, your life with openhearted authenticity and balance. Let's go!
Laura: Hello everybody! Welcome back to The Balanced Parent Podcast and we are continuing our conversations about play during our 30 Days of Play Challenge and this time we're gonna be talking about you–you, the parents, and your relationship to play.
A lot of us go through our days as parents feeling pulled away from the things we have to do and into play with our kids and there can be kind of a lingering sense of resentment or I really don't like doing this, I really don't know how to do this anymore. And I wanted to in this episode help you reconnect with play for your own pleasure and enjoyment and joy and so that you can actually enjoy those interactions with your child.
And so to help me with this conversation, I have a play expert coming in. Her name is Amanda Evans and I'm so excited to introduce you to her. Amanda, welcome to the show.
Amanda: Thank you so much. I'm so happy to be here and to talk about play.
Laura: Yeah, right, let's geek out about play. This is one of the funnest months in my podcast. So well, Amanda, why don't you tell us a little bit more about yourself and you know who you are and what you do?
Amanda: Yeah, so my name is Amanda Evans and I'm the CEO and Founder of my business, it's called Mind Body Soul Miracles and I'm a Play-Based Healer. So what that means is I really, I support families to reconnect with themselves and each other. And I primarily, I support conscious parents who are feeling overwhelmed and triggered by their child's big emotions and tantrums so that they can parent with greater ease, play presents.
And something that I love is really helping the parents to reconnect with their own play because kids are such great teachers of how to play and how to find the joy in the little moments and I personally feel like that's one of the most important things.
So I work with both parents and kids and primarily those sensitive empathic little ones who have so much to teach us in the world. But what I do is, I call it is, I'm a Master Coach and I call it Master coach meets Mary Poppins because it's very much like when you watch the movie Mary Poppins of how can we bring coaching and making friends with emotions together with play? Because together it's like magic.
Laura: Yeah, so tell me what is play-based healing?
Amanda: It's very similar to play-based therapy in a way. However, I'm an energy healer. So there is an aspect of that in the sessions, but really the idea is that in these sessions that I have with children is they're all child-led. So there's going to be toys and games and all of the favorite things that they could play with that are all around them set up for them and it is the space where they get to come in and they get to choose, they get to leave, what are we going to play and explore and navigate today.
And the beautiful thing is when kids are playing and when they feel a positive bond, a connection and that safety with someone–which in this instance is me in those sessions–they naturally want to open up about their emotions and talk about what's on their heart and talk about what's going on in their life. And really, that safety is what heals.
So they get a chance to do the thing that makes them feel the most like them because oftentimes, especially if a child has like a label or a diagnosis, sometimes it feels like people see them as that. Whereas in this setting, in these sessions, they just get to be seen and really known as the person that they are who has these passions; things they're excited about. And really get to be seen in that positive light while also being supported to talk about their needs, their wants, their emotions.
So within that framework, they get to play and build that positive connection with someone who feels safe while also learning tools and new ways to release their emotions, to express their emotions, to really feel safe to ask for what they need within their families. But then there's something that happens with having that time with someone and the safety with someone, it then integrates out into their family and to their school and to the society. So that being safe and being themselves with one person, it gets to keep expanding out to their other connections.
Laura: Yeah, so I mean you're talking really about Play Therapy. I'm a Play Therapist by training. I don't do it anymore but I do have a course called Playful Healing that is a deep dive and teaches parents how to do what you're describing. The research on play-based therapy is the parent is so impactful because the attachment relationship is already there and an attachment relationship is that ideal context for healing.
And so for listeners, if what Amanda is describing to you sounds interesting, you can actually do this yourself too. And so there's a course that's available to you called Playful Healing on my website. You can go check out, that is a beautiful invitation to reconnect and heal your relationship with your child and just provide a beautiful space of connection and understanding. So that's available.
But I think what I want to talk about with you today, Amanda, is how we can help parents feel more connected to play themselves. I think that so often we grow up, we lose that childlike sense of wonder and we lose our ability to play. And so I would really love to know from you how we can help parents tap back into play for themselves. Not just for their kids, but for themselves.
Amanda: Well, first I would say really define parents what is play with them because they think that that's sometimes what gets in the way of parents, like how do I play because they think of play is something that their child does. Whereas play can be anything. And my personal definition is play is like that thing that when you're doing it, you're so in the moment that it's like time goes away. So play presents really go together for me, but I think it's so personal for each person and before you can spend time doing that thing, you need to figure out what does play mean to you.
So, I would encourage parents in your community to really connect with themselves and and what that means to them. And what are those activities that bring them completely into the present moment that remind them of like that childlike magic and innocence and that really just bring them joy.
Laura: Yeah, I love that. So I often describe play as a flow process; kids get into flow with their play and we talk about flow a lot in the 30 Days of Play Challenge and your description is so beautiful because I think that if we ask parents, we ask grown-ups to think about when do you get into a flow state? They know what a flow state is.
You know, that time where kind of time slips away, where you're on the cusp of something that is challenging and interesting, but there's ease to it. Lots of runners will talk about the runs as a flow state, yoga is a great flow state. I get into flow when I'm baking. So there's different, you know, ways to get into flow.
But I think if we ask parents to really reflect on when do I have that sense of, you know, the time is just passing and I'm in complete enjoyment in the present moment and what I'm doing. And I love redefining play. I think that that's so important.
Amanda: Well I love that and I love the reminder about flow state because it's just, it's like pure presence and magic and I think just that reminder of, what are the things that when you do that you really enter that state?
But then I think there's also a conversation for parents around when do we make the time for it? Because parents have such full plates and are making sure that their children's needs are met. And so with parents, it's like, how can you really block in a little bit of time to make that a priority?
But the question I talked with a lot of parents about is how can you also just make those tasks that are already on your list more playful? Like how can you change your approach to what you're already doing and have more fun with it?
Laura: Okay, so when you say more playful, you mean more fun?
Amanda: More fun.
Laura: Yeah. So what does that look like in practice? Can you give us some descriptions?
Amanda: Well, I think it's depending on the person. But personally for me, for example, if you have things on your list that are like cleaning, doing the dishes or all of those tasks that we do every day or like cleaning up the toys with your kids, it's like how can you take that activity and make it more fun?
So for me music is like always go to, it's like how can I put on the favorite songs or like the family's favorite songs, make it a dance party and sing along while you're doing the activities. Or maybe it's turning the activities that you already doing into a game.
So if it's like clean up with your kids, it's like how can we make this fun and be like, how can we do this as a team or who can clean up their side faster than the other person and, and just really like engaging in connection with your family while you're doing these things that you might look at as one more thing on your list or one more opportunity to have fun and to connect.
Laura: I love that. I want to mention too for listeners who are thinking about kind of doing races and who can do things the fastest, that it's best if you've got siblings to either race the clock or to have the kids on the team who are racing parents because sibling rivalry can really sneak in there sometimes.
A personal example of something that I used to do when my kids were younger and getting out the door to daycare into preschool is really, really hard. I would pretend to be a flight attendant who was boarding a plane and so I would stand at the door and you know, make announcements now, you know, boarding row, whatever and really like get into character and then they would get loaded in and then we would..
I mean I would be the pilot and we would, as we got up onto the expressway, I would be like, again we, you know, we have, you know, we have lift off our wheels are being being tucked in. Do you hear the landing gear, you know, just the whole way and you know, I only needed to do that, you know, for a week or two and it really eased the kind of the new rhythm of going to school.
They didn't need it every time, but there were days when it was really hard, like when it was hard to say goodbye, it was hard to leave home that the play really helped, you know. It's funny like I think that parents think and you tell me if you agree with this.
I think parents think that they have to be naturally silly or naturally playful to be able to do this, but in actuality, your kids don't know that you might be faking it or that it might not come naturally to you or that you got the idea from a podcast. They don't know and you don't have to tell them, you know, they're delighted.
Most kids, even if you think like your delivery and your acting is, or your accent is terrible, most kids are so delighted by it that they don't care. They won't say anything about it. They'll just, I mean, my nine-year-old will sometimes like when I'm being silly, you know, as to make things easier, she'll be like, mom, I know what you're trying to do. You're trying to get me to brush my teeth and I love it and then she does, you know, but it's not even trickery. It's yeah, I am trying to make it easier for you to brush your teeth right now. Let's make it fun, you know.
Amanda: I love that and I love how smart kids are too. I saw you on those things but like you said, she's like, yeah, that's okay. I'm gonna do it. I know that's what you're doing
Laura: Actually when this comes out she will be nine and she, I feel like she's getting a little too cool for school for some of those things. And so like my six year old still loves to do things, you know, like brushing teeth games and then, you know, she'll be over there brushing her own teeth kind of rolling her eyes, but then you can see her kind of inching and leaning into it a little bit too. It's so funny. Kids are so funny.
Okay, so we've talked about reconnecting to kind of and redefining what play means to us and then making some space and time for that in our busy lives, taking opportunities of things that we do every day to just make them more fun and playful in a way that's authentic but also push ourselves a little bit. What are some other things that we can do as parents to really actually like enjoy play in our families, in our daily lives?
Amanda: You spoke to something really beautiful which is, and really about making it authentic, right? But you're just some parents that play might feel like really silly and like you have to be a certain way and I think that brought up a really good point about the play that looks different to everyone. And so it might not be super silly, super loud, super this because that's not how play feels good.
So really I would say it's like you're a parent and you're still trying to figure out what play is to you and how you do it. Like remember it's not play isn't how somebody else plays that makes it great. How do you feel the most like you? So it's that reminder that you and your child might play in a very quiet way. Your play might be like snuggling in a cozy corner in your room or pulling out a book or affirmation cards or it might be journaling and I think the reminder is that like play can be whatever feels good.
Laura: Yeah, you just said something there that play is where you feel most like you. I really like that statement a lot. I feel like I need to say it again. Play is where you feel most like you. I think that that's one of the reasons why kids like play so much is because they feel completely and entirely themselves when we are with them in the present moment with their play really witnessing them. They feel loved and unconditionally accepted when we're not trying to change their play or criticize their play or make them play the way we want them to.
It's so beautiful to be seen and held in that way for kids. And I think we have to recognize that we need that type of presence and witnessing, you know, and we can't wait around for someone else to give it to us. Like we have to be able to offer that to ourselves. We have to be like good moms, good parents to ourselves. And oftentimes we're looking for other people to witness that in us. And I think, you know, we're the grown ups now, we have to kind of take on that job of, you know, being the mom to ourselves, giving ourselves that space and time to do it.
Okay, so then how do we go about getting the time to do our own play? So there's, we're talking about two different kinds of play, right? So we're talking about play with our kids, which I hope we will talk about like how to actually enjoy playing with your kids because I think that that's what lots of parents struggle with, but we're also talking about play with ourselves. So how do we go about getting that time to actually play?
Amanda: Well, honestly, I think it's each parent has really taken inventory of what your schedule and day looks like already because the last thing you want to do is make it one more thing that you feel like you're squeezing in because it's meant to actually, like make everything feel better. And so like any new routine or any new habit to start small.
So for parents like 10 minutes, a magical number. If you can schedule in 10 minutes and it might be scheduling it at first because it's not something that you're normally used to and starting just with one activity that feels playful to you. So if it is journaling, if it's coloring, if it is like your meditation, it's.. Scheduling it in your calendar for 10 minutes and just start there. And I think that starting off your day with play changes how you feel throughout the whole day.
So I know a lot of parents, they start their day off early because they're trying to make sure that they can get everything they need and then support their kids. And if you can make that first moment of your day, your play, your time, your joy, it's quite likely that what follows that is going to be so much more present, so much more playful, so much more just like loving because you've already had space to be yourself without anyone seeing you.
Laura: I really like that. You know, it's.. Reading is one of the ways that I play
Amanda: I love that.
Laura: Since I started reading as a child, I like, that was one of my plays, you know, the way that I would play and so I wake up every morning and read in bed, you know, before I get up for the day.
Amanda: That sounds so amazing.
Laura: It's really lovely. I mean if you're a reader, it's just really love, you know, sometimes it's like parenting books. Sometimes it's like, you know, like kind of self-help type books, but sometimes it's just novels and fiction, which I really enjoy. And so and that does help me like when I don't get that, I'm a little grumpier and I like that I just I really like how we're talking about that this play is a way to get to be yourself. I really just really like that phrasing a lot.
One other thing that I have found for me personally that lets me get my play in is to cultivate play practices. And when we say play practices, we're really talking about self-care, you know, I mean really like let's just like.. let's just cut through like the coding and we're talking about self-care. But cultivating self-care or play practices that I can do alongside my kids.
So like coloring and painting, you know, creativity–opportunities to be creative and make something beautiful is one of my deepest pleasures. And so doing that alongside my children, you know. So, if I have my water colors out, you know, just setting up. If I'm getting my water colors out, I just set up theirs right next to me and they can join me if they want to, or they can play independently if they want to.
And another thing though too is that, I think with that so, yes, having stuff that you can do alongside your children, but I also think it's okay to set, like, firm boundaries around when the play is just for you.
So baking is one of my forms of play. I really love baking, but what I love about the baking is getting deep into the recipe, having the mental space and time to think about nothing else. To really follow a complicated–because baking can be hard, you know, to really follow a complicated recipe, have no one interrupting me and just really be in the moment with it. I cannot do that if I'm baking with my kids.
So, yeah, and so I have to have a really firm boundary of who is this baking for? Is this baking for me? Then no, I'm sorry, honey, we can make cookies afterward. This baking is for me, you know, versus if this baking is for the kids, then it's a completely different experience. And I have to have that internal boundary within myself, do you know what I mean? Like, like what is the purpose of this for me? My play or is it for theirs? And it's okay for it to be separate, you know?
Amanda: So something that… It's funny, I actually do this myself, but I also recommended with clients iis sometimes a goal can be a personal one and some of the personal goals, one that I have right now is from Monday to Friday, I actually like, it's like a checkoff thing.
It's I've committed to 20 minutes of pure presence and play for myself and then it's, it's funny, I actually do this with my dog and then another 20 minutes is just him and I with child or dog in this instance, directed play. So I do what I do with my clients that I deal with my dog and I do it with myself.
And what I've noticed is that when you hold that boundary, there might be the pushback at first. It's like, but I want that place. So for instance, if you're a parent and you, you might schedule this in, you might have 20 minutes, that's just your playtime and then another 20 that you're like, this is the time where we play together where we do that thing.
So maybe it's baking with yourself versus painting with your child. And because you know that you have that commitment of that time with you just like you were saying, knowing what the purpose of your play is versus your child, it's much easier to be able to communicate that to them. To be like, you know what, right now, I'm doing this baking and this is just my time to play with me, to do this, and we will have that time together to paint at and be very clear about when it's going to happen. To really communicate.
And then the more and more that it's communicated, the more and more they'll get used to it, but they also know that their needs and their desire for that connection and that play will happen because it's so clear and then you as a parent, because you've made a commitment to yourself in that time, you also know that you are going to need that time.
Laura: Yeah, and I mean, and the thing is that then you have to show up for your play dates with your kids, you know, you've got to show up and commit and you've got to show up for yourself too. These are beautiful things to be modeling for our kids.
You know, I think so many of us didn't grow up in a home where it was modeled for us. And even if it was being modeled, it wasn't overtly like, attention wasn't overtly drawn to it, you know, so being able to have those firm clear boundaries of yes, my sweetheart, I want to read to you, and right now I'm reading my book for my own enjoyment and so I'm going to finish this chapter, you know, I have just one more chapter to go and then I will be able to read to you.
Having those very clear, you know boundaries, it really is what it is and I think it's so important to not just model but to talk about it, you know. So I do explain to my kids why they're not invited to bake with me at that moment in time, you know, that this is something for me, this is one of the ways I play. I really enjoy being able to concentrate and I don't want to have to negotiate who gets to put what ingredient in.
I want to put the ingredients and the reassuring that there, don't worry, I have a recipe plan for you too. Don't worry after we're done, I have it all, you know, planned out. We'll get to make your favorite cookies for sure. Sometimes I will fill their cup first with it too. Like if I know I'm going to be, you know, doing something that's just for me, I will do, intentionally do their stuff first, top that cup up so that they can kind of handle it.
You know there's something too that I feel like we're not, we're kind of skipping over and there's a part to this series that we're in our 30 Days of Play Challenge, there is a part and at the time of recording I haven't fully outlined it. So I don't know where the part is going to fall, but there's a part on playing with your inner child.
Amanda: I was feeling that too. I was like we're gonna get the inner child.
Laura: Yeah, there's a whole episode on doing child-directed play with your inner child. So there's a whole episode on that, but I just feel curious if you have any tips on that topic for us as we're reconnecting with play for ourselves.
Amanda: Well, you know what there's so many different things with your inner child. But first off, my favorite question to ask people is how they played as a child? Because oftentimes that has to do with how we still enjoy play with ourselves now.
And so I would encourage that–just that self-discovery. It's like really whoever's listening to this right now is like, take time to go down memory lane of like when you were a little kid and you were so happy in the moment and playing. What were the things or the games that you played? Because asking that question is gonna prompt those memories which A, is already like so good for your brain and neural plasticity and all of that goodness, but also just even visualizing and remembering.
It A) like, brings the inner child out. And it activates that feeling of really getting into our parasympathetic nervous system of already starting to feel calmer and more playful. But once you ask that question you hear the answers, it gives you a window into what connects you with your inner child.
So for instance, I will speak about me when I was little, I was very nurturing and so I always loved any sort of like mothering or role play games. So I was all about playing house at school and I loved Barbies. So I like got to make up my stories and I honestly have this theory about, if you ask anybody what their Barbie story was when they were little, it tends to say a lot about them in their life now or what they do.
But when I think about that, I immediately like feel my connection with my inner child as a little kid. And then I think about if I'm doing inner child-directed play, what games am I going to be playing? What did she–what did little Amanda like? And then how can I do that again now to really connect with my inner child? So I might bring some of those activities back. I might bring Barbies or I might even visualize about it or I might consider doing something that is related to that now.
So for instance, if you were a kid who really like to build lego, you might start thinking about how could you do that in grown-up ways now or how do you build in your own life or what do you want your playtime to look like. Is it actually maybe getting lego again and building something, or is it noticing in your life where you're already doing those things?
So where do you build in your daily life, or what do you love about what you're already doing? Because I think that's the big question. It's.. we think it's one more thing we have to do, but sometimes connecting with our inner child reminds us of all the ways we already play in our life.
But I would also say there's so many ways to connect with your inner child, which I'm sure you're going to touch on too. But some ways that I've really learned is–there's different techniques, but first off if you just bring out toys, and I work a lot with kids and it's like literally bringing out puppets. But having conversations with them and something you can do is, it's called the empty chair process. And it's it's a technique I learned in coaching, but I know it's the way that I've connected with my inner child and what you do is you have a conversation with your inner child.
So you might set up two chairs in front of each other and you, as a grown-up sits in one and then you're gonna ask questions to your inner child and then go to the other side and hear the answers because it might just be–what do you need to feel safe today or what do you want to do to play today?
And by asking the question, you leave room for the answers that little you that's inside is going to feel safe to communicate with their needs and what their desires are and how they want to play with you. So then you listen just like you do with your kids and then make space for that.
Laura: Yeah. And so one thing that, like, as you're talking, I think that doing this process is really important. So lots of the parents I talk to who don't like playing with their kids, don't like playing with their kids because their kid is so bossy during the play and they feel like the kids never listening to any of their ideas and that they always get told no, don't say that and told what to do and they don't like it.
And my theory on this is that it's because, for those parents, there is an inner child who doesn't get to play anymore and who desperately wants to be playing. And that if we are nurturing and taking care of the inner child through our own play and outside times, and we learn to sit back and let our children's playtime with us before them and the unmet needs of our inner children are being met elsewhere in our own play. we can let our play with our children be for them–which is what it's supposed to be for. Right?
So I think that the inner child aspect of play is actually really important for parents to be able to achieve presence with their children's play and actually be child-directed in the play with their children. Because otherwise, sometimes–not all parents, but some parents have very loud inner children who have been ignored for a very long time.
Amanda: And they just want their needs to finally be met
Laura: I mean, so this happens with dad's a lot. A lot of the dads I work with really struggle with this because I think even more than women, play has been taken from dads, from them. Boys are forced to grow up and abandon their feelings so early in our culture. So early. And so when they sit down to play lego with their sons or their daughters, it's really really hard for them to hold back because they've got a vision too inside them.
I mean, so in those instances I really, I recommend having a separate set of legos for those… Yes, going to the toy section in Target and like getting out of your head and just like noticing which one jumps off the shelf, and buy it for yourself. It's 20 bucks. You know, it's okay to, you know, spend that on yourself and you don't have to share it with your child either. You can put it together for yourself just to please and enjoy yourself too.
And that will let that inner child, by needing that–your inner needs, your own needs first. It allows you to be more present and available to your child's needs, you know? Do you agree?
Amanda: Oh, completely. Yeah, no, you're like speaking to the heart of what I also believe. And it's so true. It's like we all just needed that space to keep playing and to keep being in touch with our emotions. So I love what you're saying about the dads and just not being afraid to have their own lego or their own set of toys and really go back to that space of connecting with themselves.
Laura: Yeah, absolutely. And I think that this is something too that I like, I just you know, so I focus a lot on partners in parenting, So being good..
Amanda: Yeah, I love that.
Laura: I think we have to recognize that if we are parenting with a partner who we love, who we’re in a couple of relationship with, it's such a gift to prioritize the other person's pleasure and play too to really give them opportunities to play.
You know, so this is something that my husband and I do all the time. We sit down at the beginning of our week and our family meeting and we take a look at how are mom and dad going to get a chance to play? I mean we don't always use those words, but how is dad going to get his golf game in? How is mom going to get her walks and yoga? And we really look at it carefully and advocate for each other, you know, stick up for each other.
Yeah, it's important. I think play is so important. And not just for kids. For us too. It takes practice as well. I think it takes time to relearn how to play. And so I hope all of our listeners are gonna be really gentle and gracious with themselves as they reconnect and re-learn how to do this.
Amanda: Yeah. And I love what you're saying, just your focus and the partnership, but also really understanding each other's inner child and each other's favorite ways to play or give themselves the self-care that they need and really like honoring it.
So it can be easy to be like well, but I want to do this and we need to do this. But that conversation that you have at the beginning of the week is so beautiful of like, really being like how can you get that time and how can I get that time and how do we all have the space to do what we love and feel like ourselves?
Laura: Yeah. Oh gosh, you just keep coming back to that statement. Feel like ourselves. I really like that. I feel like I need to explore that a lot in some journaling. I really just like the idea that play is where we feel most like ourselves. We all need that chance. Oh, that's so beautiful.
Thank you, Amanda, for bringing that nugget to us. I really appreciate it.
Amanda: It’s a pleasure. I've always sound that like why I find play so important is it takes the pressure off. It's like I know that growing up, I was a total perfectionist. I felt like I had to be perfect in every way and I think that play is the space where there's no expectation and that's why we feel like ourselves. It's like who are we if we're not performing? Who are we if we're not needing to complete a task? Who are we when we're just being?
Laura: Yeah, I think that our productivity culture gets in the way of our place so much. It's something that I grapple with in my art all the time, you know because I, I will paint and I'd be like, why do I want to paint? What am I gonna do with all these paintings? They don't do or serve a purpose, you know?
And so productivity absolutely can get in the way of play. And at the same time, it's really important to exercise that muscle of releasing uphold towards productivity, which is really just a cultural thing that's been forced upon us anyway, you know? Absolutely.
Okay, so Amanda, tell us where people can find you and connect with you. Obviously, we have your links in the show notes, but sometimes folks like to hear it out loud.
Amanda: For sure. So you can find me on Instagram. It's @mind_body_soul_miracles or you can just head to my website. So it's www.mindbodysoulmiracles.com and there's plenty of information about me there, but you can also just connect with me on there or book a 30-minute connection session. I would love that.
Laura: Alright, well, thank you so much, Amanda. I really appreciate your expertise and everybody who's following along with the 30 Days of Play Challenge, I hope that you are enjoying it. You can always reach out to me with your questions. I want to support you in this and make sure that the challenges is exactly what you need to start your year off right.
So thanks so much Amanda for joining us and helping us with this conversation.
Amanda: My pleasure. Thank you for having me.
Okay, so thanks for listening today. Remember to subscribe to the podcast and if it was helpful, leave me a review that really helps others find the podcast and join us in this really important work of creating a parenthood that we don't have to escape from and creating a childhood for our kids that they don't have to recover from.
And if you're listening, grab a screenshot and tag me on Instagram so that I can give you a shout-out and definitely go follow me on Instagram. I'm @laurafroyenphd. That's where you can get behind the scenes. Look at what balanced, conscious parenting looks like in action with my family, and plus I share a lot of other, really great resources there too.
Alright, that's it for me today. I hope that you keep taking really good care of your kids and your family and each other and most importantly of yourself. And just to remember, balance is a verb and you're already doing it. You've got this!