Cara Dumaplin explains why parents should resist the urge to interrupt independent play. When your baby spends twenty minutes opening and closing a cabinet door, stepping back isn't neglect—it's letting them learn. The principle: don't trade their fun for yours.
Don't trade fun for fun. This is a parenting hack that has helped me so much over the years. You're just sitting here sipping coffee and your baby is opening and closing the cabinet door. She's having a ball and she is safe. There's nothing but Tupperware inside that cabinet, but your brain starts going, I'm just sitting here. I should be playing with her. Before you intervene, remember a content little one doesn't require intervention. She's actually learning in this moment, holding space for independent play is not neglectful. Don't trade fun for fun.
