Laughter Helps the Medicine Go Down

Not long ago, I made an amazing discovery. As in J.M Barrie’s classic Peter Pan, I had grown up. I had forgotten how to play dolls and cars or come up with a silly song or bedtime story. It is so easy to become consumed with the day to day responsibilities of being a mom and wife that I sometimes forget to laugh. I realized I had better lighten up relax and have fun. These years I have with my little ones are so short.

Child development experts believe that humor is a learned trait. While children do come with their own personalities, we can set the tone for how they cope with life’s ups and downs. If you want your child to be able to roll with it, to embrace defeat and move on, then we as parents need to be able to laugh at the uh-oh’s. I had an interesting conversation with my mom while she was here for Christmas. She mentioned how her mom would never let them play with paints until the situation was perfect for fear of having to clean up a huge mess. I am guilty as charged.

After little Everett was born, I was extremely ill and sleep deprived. The last thing I wanted to do is clean up an extra mess. I realized my mistake when one afternoon I thought I would be a great mom and let my kids paint. Mason refused to paint because as he put it “painting is messy.” Oh what great influences we have on our children. Yikes! No use in crying over spilt milk right? I needed to change if I expected them to change. Instead of getting mad over an accident I taught them to just clean it up. That is not to say I am never exasperated in the face of another clean up. I am trying to be more aware of how I handle the situation. Adelin adopted “it’s ok, it is just an accident” as her favorite catch phrase. Now, I get a laugh when the kids pull out the art supplies or make a mess and I hear Stephen freak. He looks at me for support and I sheepishly have to say they are fine.

Studies have shown laughter improves mood, strengthens the immune system and lowers blood pressure. It can also take the stress out of being a parent. Comedy can conquer a tantrum 99.9 % of the time. The goal is to diffuse the tantrum. Talking and scolding only make it worse. I like to play “Where is it”. A game I adopted from a friend of mine. You say “Oh my, it is gone. Is it in your ear? Is it in your shirt?” The goal is to find his lost smile. Other times, I point to his shirt and say is that your sock? Kids get a real kick out of funky sounds and calling a body part or object by the wrong name. Another strategy I try to use is singing. It is hard to yell when you are singing. I usually will sing a song about what they are doing. Sometimes nothing works and it is best to leave them alone.

Don’t get me wrong, I am definitely not Mother of the Year. My friend and I sadly share our dirty secrets to each other about how many times that week we lost it. I think it helps us feel we are not alone and we are filled with the necessary encouragement to press forward.

Here are some ways we try to fit fun and laughter into our lives.
-Take time out to see a funny play or movie or go to a local comedy club
-Organize a game night with family or friends.
-Host a karaoke night or XBOX tournament. Our favorite is Rock Band
-Call an old friend
-Play Snake in the Cave
-Play Monster coming
-Play peek-a-boo.
-Play hide-n-seek.
-Say you are a cat but moo like a cow
-Sing using a goofy voice.
-Make up rhymes. The kids love stuff like faster, faster we need another master.
-Read stories using different voices. My daughter squeals when I read her Charlie and Lola using the voices from the TV show.
-Walk and dance using funny movements.
-Kids love the old slapstick humor of falling down. They love it a little too much.
-Play construction trucks to pick up a load of laundry and bulldoze them to the laundry room.
-Teach a baby doll a crazy dance. Another favorite.
-Place objects where they do not belong such as a shoe on your head and a hat on your foot.
-Point to a body part and say the wrong word.
-Celebrate traditional and made up holidays