quote:

will try to play with my kids and do some activities with them- why is that so hard for me- I can't figure that one out. Why should it be so hard to connect with my kids, over anything else? It's not I don't take care of them, hug them and say I love you- I do. But there is no real connection or adult caring coming from me, beyond the basics. I don't get it. It makes me so sad.

Beebs... about what you wrote above... I struggled with this too. It's because when you were a kid no one played with you. No one gave you that connecting through play experience so you don't know how to do it and when you try to do it, well it just feels unnatural and forced, right?

I just didn't know how to play with my son until my OldT started "playing" with me and with both of us in session. We would toss a ball back and forth, we played hangman, just the two of us. Then there were times when I was sitting in on my son's session and we would play board games or OldT would do magic card tricks for us. My little me was enchanted and soaked it up like a thirsty sponge. And after some time I realized I was playing with my son and it felt normal and natural, not forced or fake in any way.

Just some thoughts.

TN