When I’m thinking more like my kiddo, I notice such a shift in how I carry my body. It becomes so much more flexible, adventurous, and limber.

When I’m on the floor with her, I’m more willing to get up and down, using my balance, my strength, even if it hurts; we’re together.

I protest a lot when she first asks me. Just like she protests the first 8 times I ask her to brush her teeth. Getting myself to want to play feels hard. I don’t naturally want to. I want to finish whatever it is I’m doing, or stay in the comfortable position I’m in. I’m begrudgingly getting on the floor.

But I do it anyway.

I will never look back and regret getting on the floor to play with my daughter, even though I’m not allowed to use the sparkly pink pen, and I have to use the Barbie chewed up by the cat.