This is my favorite commercial currently airing on television:
I love its message. A parent who is showing her son she has "skills." It is obvious she is a bit awkward but she is showing her son how much fun playing is.
Let's get past the obvious retort of saying that its weird that we live in a society where the parent has to convince their child that playing is fun. Playing is great for physical, emotional and social development. Interaction with people is great for children. Play helps make connections and develop relationships based on commonalities. When children play with other children they begin to learn.
However, while children are learning as they are play, playing with adults brings in a whole different element that is way to often overlooked: adults know how to play and can be a valuable teacher to their child. Not only that but adults spending time playing with kids creates a natural order in the world. It allows for kids to understand where they stand and reinforces that the adult teach their child so that they may fill their parents' spot one day.
When it comes to play parents bring a childhood worth of experiences to the table. They bring experience with risk taking. They bring an ability of how to model decision making. Parents who play with their children occasionally, do them just as much good than any play date can.
Bill Cosby demonstrates, in a humorous manner, how beneficial playing with his son is. This is not new, its just been lost and needs to be found again.
