December 15, 2022

Playful Limits: Nurturing cooperation with a smile

30 minutes

In this episode, join all five of the Tales from the Toolbox Team, Lara, Kelly, Stacy, Belynda and Alice, for a spirited conversation on how to set limits playfully. They share how this combination of two Hand in Hand Parenting tools, Playlistening and Setting Limits, is so powerful for bringing co-operation and joy.

If you want to learn about why playful limits are not permissive and how they actually help to dissipate the tensions that drive challenging behavior, whilst also bringing more laughter and joy then this is the episode for you!

You’ll hear more about:

Why it IS worth the effort of bringing play to limit setting moments

How play can shift the dynamic to make challenging situations go much more smoothly

How playful limits can allow children to laugh away emotional tensions and bring benefits to parents too

Ways the team have found to help muster that playful attitude from singing operatically to talking hands and the ‘idiot dance’.

How undesirable behaviors (even spitting!) often dissipate when we can bring play to them.

How putting on a silly voice might be all it takes for a co-operative bedtime

How a family culture of playfulness can save time and energy now and pave the way towards ease in the future

That playfulness even helps to build your child’s resilience and intelligence

How playful limits are not a case of ‘rewarding bad behavior’ - instead they can communicate confidence and safety to our children AND turn a hard moment into a golden opportunity for connection

Practicing a playful tone and why it’s helpful

How getting better at setting limits can help us set boundaries in all areas of life

And, if you are interested in finding a Listening Partner and would like to join the Tales from the Toolbox WhatsApp Group, please complete this form and we’ll email you the details: https://forms.gle/DjjbTBxfTat1EMLE8

You might enjoy some of the following resources on playful limits.

https://www.handinhandparenting.org/2018/09/setting-boundaries-on-behavior-with-humor/

https://www.handinhandparenting.org/2018/03/set-limits-laughter/

In this article, getting teddy involved was the perfect way to improve table manners: https://www.handinhandparenting.org/2018/01/improve-manners-with-playful-parenting/

Listen by Patty Wipfler and Tosha Schore is a great place to learn more about all the Hand in Hand Parenting tools (and is also available as an audiobook): https://www.handinhandparenting.org/listen-five-simple-tools/

You can continue the conversation with us at [email protected] or you can follow on social media @talesfromthetoolboxpodcast

We’d love it if you would subscribe to our podcast on your podcast platform, and if you could leave us a review that will help us reach more parents with these practical and supportive tools.

Wishing you lots of connection and joy in your parenting, and thanks for listening.

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By Tales from the ToolBox Podcast