Comments on: Playful Parenting with Older Children and Teens

By: Kim

Kim — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 21:19:42 +0000

Yes, yes, yes. So very important to play with our teens. Just as life is becoming more serious for them, and our interactions with them have a tendency towards being more serious, how very important to keep an element of play going. It can also be a way of staying physically in touch – if they pull away from cuddles they may be more comfortable with a tussle. What’s more, I’ve found teenagers have a great deal in common with toddlers – they seem to share many qualities of oscillating between being ‘big’ and being ‘little’ – and this includes their sense of playfulness. I am passionate about remembering to treat teenagers’ need for attachment with the same care as we do our toddlers

By: Julinda

Julinda — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 23:11:28 +0000

I agree it’s nice to find some “AP” stuff that is not just about babies and toddlers! My kids are 6 and 12 now, and parenting is necessarily different, but I still want to stay attached. I do think being attached when they were younger (in spite of my working outside the home) has made our relationships stronger, especially noticeable w/my older one.

By: Katryne Lukens Bull

Katryne Lukens Bull — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 13:39:03 +0000

As my daughter has entered her teen years I agree that the verbal play has become a huge way that we interact. It has also been a way to connect with her friends and other teens through intellectual play.

My daughter has also been in the public education system, first at a public Montessori school and now at a school for the Arts. As a junior high creative writing major she has the ability to explore many art forms and create with other teens from dance, vocal, to orchestra. I think there are many opportunities for all children, regardless of what “fits” their individual education needs, to explore their fictional creativity. They may no longer want to refer to it as playing pretend but it is the teen version of such and it is a great outlet for emotions, intellect, and thinking about their future.

By: Laurie A. Couture

Laurie A. Couture — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 03:18:04 +0000

I am very happy to see another article on here about AP with teens, but as an expert on AP with teens, I disagree with your statement that teens do not enjoy pretend play and wrestling with parents. Please be aware that children in public school are socialized very different than those of us parents who AP through the teen years and unschool. Teens who are AP-ed and learn through more natural means such as unschooling, relaxed homeschooling and democratic schools are intensly playful. My 17 year old son and his friends live for pretend and dramatic play, which they call role play and LARP-ing (Live Action Role Play). My son loves wrestling, cuddling and tickle-fighting with me. My son is constantly inventing games for us to play together or with his friends and he still, like a lot of his friends, loves toys. Still, I applaud your article for bringing very needed attention to the attachment needs of teens and for promoting parent-child play with teens!