magine you a child again. The person who looks after you brings you to a special play area, with some toys. They sit you down and for the next 30 minutes you become the centre of their world, they reflect back to you what you do and say, and they do it in such a way that makes you feel seen, heard and cared for. Your special person becomes your play buddy, letting you choose how and what to play. Your able to express and share your stories anyway you like and be completely listened to in those moments. What would this do for you?
Special Time Benefits:
Special time is a way to strength the relationship between the child and their caregiver. Particularly when children have difficult behaviours, it can be hard to ensure that there is positive bonding time between parent and child. Giving our children special time, we are letting them know how important they are to us. It is an opportunity for the child to express themselves through play, and to feel unconditionally accepted and understood by their parent.
Most parents would spend time playing with their children and spending time together, but special time is different (it’s special). It is best if special play time is 1:1 (eg just one parent for just one child)
Remember that special time is special, it should never be used as a reward or consequence. It is a time for connecting, regardless of the behaviour that day.