Playing with you

It came out of nowhere.

Alex just looked at me and said, almost casually, that he likes playing with me more than anything. No big buildup, just a simple fact.

It hit me harder than I expected.

As parents, it is so easy to fall into the trap of thinking our kids need more. We stress about filling their rooms with toys, filling their schedules with after-school activities, and securing a high-class education. We convince ourselves that this checklist is the secret to a happy childhood.

But in that quiet moment, looking at him, I realised how much we overcomplicate it.

While I’m busy worrying about giving him the world, he is telling me that he doesn’t need the world. He doesn’t care about the price tag on a toy or the prestige of a school. He cares that I am there, on the floor, fully present.

We think they need everything. But really, all they need is our time. And honestly? That is the one thing I am most happy to give.