"I took matters into my own hands and set up a play club called 'Free Play Friday.' I was inspired by Lets Grow, a non-profit that encourages children to play independently without parents or teachers hovering over them. I invited the kids of some moms I'd exchanged numbers with in the neighborhood. It felt a bit odd reaching out to people I barely knew."
"The children would choose their own activities with minimal adult involvement. This would be a throwback to our childhoods in the 1990s and early 2000s when kids were less scheduled with after-school activities and often left to do their own thing."
"The parents stayed the first few times as we got to know each other. After a while, they dropped off their kids or walked to the club on their own. I took turns hosting with another mom."
"It felt especially important for my daughter and another child her age to take ownership of their play. They helped the younger ones participate in things like pop-up art classes."
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