What kids wish their parents knew about fun | Mila Rojas
Tuesday, 3 November 2026 · 1 min read · Listen to the episode ↗
Mila Rojas explores why adults feel “play guilt” when fun seems less worthwhile than productive tasks, and how play can support learning, connection, and stress regulation. She suggests parents bring curiosity into ordinary routines instead of turning play into another obligation, from a quick dance break to making pizza together. Small, shared moments can help families connect more deeply.
Mila Rojas says adults can lose the joy of play amid responsibilities, schedules, expectations, and pressure to be serious. She points to “play guilt,” discussed in the American Journal of Play: adults may regard play as unproductive and feel they should be doing something more beneficial instead.
Rojas argues that play is not an escape from life. It can help people learn, connect, and regulate stress, while giving adults a way to connect more deeply with family and live more fully. The value, she suggests, is not limited to children.
Parents can miss family moments when attention goes to planning, taking photos, or checking tasks off rather than being present. Rojas’s alternative is not to turn play into another obligation, but to bring curiosity and exploration into everyday responsibilities.
Ordinary routines can become playful through a race, a water fight while washing the car, a short dance break, or making food art before dinner. Rojas also suggests setting aside one night a week for family play, while emphasizing that play need not be elaborate or perfectly organized.
Her own memories show how modest shared activities can matter: walks with her dad and sister gave her dad a way to unwind after work, and making pizza with her mom was messy and creative, reconnecting with something her mom had enjoyed as a child. For Rojas, play does not have to be big or perfect; it has to be shared.
This summary was generated from the episode transcript and can contain mistakes.