Hi moms, I hear this from the moms I currently work with, and honestly, it breaks my heart a little every time: You want to connect with your child through play. You try suggesting a game, a simple activity, or even something you think they’ll love… and they shut it down. Or they only want to do it their way. Or it quickly turns into frustration or a meltdown. It’s exhausting. You’re not asking for anything crazy, you just want to have fun with them. But instead, it feels like another thing that doesn’t work. I want you to know something important: You’re not doing anything wrong. In fact, about 70% of the kids I work with started exactly like this. Many of them are sensory seekers — they have so much energy and they learn best through big movement. When we try to introduce structured games too quickly, it can feel overwhelming or out of their control, so they shut it down as a way to protect themselves. What I’ve seen work really well is starting where they are. We begin with big, gross motor activities they already love (jumping, crashing, spinning, running, etc.), and then we slowly add a little structure. We work on things like impulse control, following simple steps, and being able to go along with someone else’s idea sometimes — not all the time, but gradually. It doesn’t happen overnight, but I’ve watched so many kids go from refusing almost every game… to actually enjoying playing with others (including their parents and other kids). If this sounds like your child right now, I’d really love to hear from you. Comment below and tell me what usually happens when you try to play a game with your child? You’re not alone in this, and sharing can help other parents feel less isolated too.