When my son Max was younger, I thought my job was to teach him how to become a responsible adult. I spent time thinking about all the structure, discipline, and rules he would need to grow into that version of success.

But parenting is the ultimate on-the-job training. And it turns out, my best teacher has been Max.

He showed me what he needed, often without words. A lot of the traditional parenting rules just did not work for him. He daydreams. A lot! He is curious, kind, sensitive, and creative.

My approach to parenting had to shift to match who he really is. I had to be flexible. I had to pay attention. I did not want to kill his curiosity or creativity with too many rules or rigid expectations.

And something surprising happened along the way.

While I was learning to be a “good” mom, I started learning how to be more like a child.

I learned to play again.

I let myself be silly more often. I remembered that joy can live in tiny moments, not just big milestones.

I learned to enjoy snowy winters in Chicago because Max told me as if it were a scientific fact that snow is the best thing ever.

I learned that we are all creative in our own unique way.

I learned to be more curious, even about things I never would have thought to question.

Max asked things like
“Do farts go to heaven?”
“How long can someone live on the moon?”
“Can you leave fingerprints on water?”

These questions make me laugh, but they also remind me how much wonder lives in the minds of children.

Because maybe being a grown-up is not just about being responsible. Maybe it is also about remembering how to live with awe, wonder, and a little more play.

Play is something many adults forget, or we tell ourselves we don’t have time for it. But play is not a luxury. It is a form of presence. It allows us to find joy in life. It gets us out of our heads and back into our lives.

Children know how to play instinctively. They don’t need a reason. They don’t need it to be productive. They follow what feels fun. What feels curious. What feels alive.

As adults, we can bring play back into our lives in small ways. Take a dance break. Make silly jokes. Take a nature walk and let yourself wander. Try a new hobby without trying to be good at it. Ask playful questions with no answers, just because they make you laugh or think.

Play is not just fun. It helps us reset and balance wellbeing. It reduces stress, boosts creativity, improves relationships, and reconnects us with joy. It strengthens our ability to be present, softens anxiety, and reminds us what it feels like to be fully alive.

It does not have to take much time. But it can change the way we feel in our bodies and our days.

Max reminded me that life is not just about doing. It is about being. Being present. Being playful. Being open. And being ourselves, even if that self is a little silly sometimes.

Maybe the most grown-up thing we can do is remember what made us happy before the world told us to be serious all the time.

Your turn

 What is one small way you can invite more play into your life this week?
It does not have to be big. It just has to feel a little fun, a little curious, a little alive.

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