The other day I got an email from one of those tips on raising children websites. I’m not entirely sure how I got on their mailing list—I mean everyone sells their mailing lists nowadays that I unsubscibe to two to three emails a day that I don’t recall signing up for—but they have moderately useful information every now and then so I’ve stuck with them. This recent one was about making sure your child laughs. They recommended singing silly songs, tickling them, goofy faces, whatever your kid likes, just go for it as it’s very good for them. Hmm silly songs—check; Tickle? Yep, we do that. Goofy faces? Please, have you seen my mug, its goofy without trying. So I think I’m a natural at this. Need proof? Try this:
Then I started to think, how much do I laugh on a given day. Not near so much. I spend a lot of my days stressed at work, trying to find time to write, coming home to make dinner after work, bath, books (the aformentioned make ‘lil q laugh sessions) and then I can relax (forget laugh). I suppose being an adult gets like that. We have not only ourselves, but our families to take care of. And since not all of us can afford Josh Duggar’s lifestyle and pay thousands of dollars to troll for a ‘guaranteed affair’ or hire strippers to sleep with while our wives are pregnant with our fourth child, we don’t always have a good outlet for our stress.
But what if this laughter thingy is applicable to adults? Monthy Python once said – “If life seems jolly rotten, there’s something you’ve forgotten. And that’s to laugh and smile and dance and sing.” Sounds like what I’m supposed to do for ‘lil q.
If you stop and think about it, you’re happiest when you’re. . . wait for it. . . .when you’re happy. (No shit, right?) So all the laughing and smiling must be good for you. Now, I dance like a dork so while being ridiculed won’t make me happy, it will certainly entertain others. But seriously, don’t let me sing, I’ll make you cry I’m so bad.
As some who follow me know, my life is starting to resemble Mary Poppins. ‘lil q and I fly kites, act like kids, go laugh and dance. So I looked to my autobiography. . . errr the movie and found this:
Hmm, maybe that website is onto something.
Have a wonderful, happy, laughter filled last few days of summer and remember to laugh and smile and dance and sing a bit more.
-AQG
Andrew Q. Gordon wrote his first story back when yellow legal pads, ball point pens were common and a Smith Corona correctable typewriter was considered high tech. Adapting with technology, he now takes his MacBook somewhere quiet when he wants to write.
He currently lives in the Washington, D.C. area with his partner of twenty years, their young daughter and dog. In addition to dodging some very self-important D.C. ‘insiders’, Andrew uses his commute to catch up on his reading. When not working or writing, he enjoys soccer, high fantasy, baseball and seeing how much coffee he can drink in a day.
Follow Andrew:
On his website: www.andrewqgordon.com,
On Facebook: www.facebook.com/andrewqugordon,
On Twitter: @andrewqgordon,
Or just email him: andrewqgordon@gmail.com
Books:
The Last Grand Master: (Champion of the Gods – Book 1)
The Eye and the Arm: (Champion of the Gods – Book 2)
Self published:
This is so true. In college and right after we’d get together with friends and laugh so long and so hard that our stomachs would hurt the next day. Somewhere along the line that stopped happening, and we miss it. Although when it does happen now, mostly over something we’d not expected, it is something we cherish.
Isn’t that so true, the older we get, the more we forget how to have fun. Sigh, well, today at least I’m going to find things to laugh at (other than me, because, well I get laughed at enough all on my own 😛 )
So lovely to hear how you make lil’q laugh, it’s exactly what i’ll do when it’s our turn. Luke, the workhand that helped me out has two daughters, when I met them they were so little and cute, they called me the BFG as in Big Friendly Giant. with both of them sat on my shoulders I would run round with them like that. I love kids.And I am so sure that at times lil’q is the best stress reliever there is 🙂
Mark – I have no problem seeing you playing silly with your (or anyone else’s) children. It’s almost as if once we become adults we let folks beat the silly outta us or we beat it outta others. I don’t have an answer to that. As for ‘lil q. Yes she is a great stress reliever, but only when I’m wise enough to let myself detach from everything that is occupying me. I don’t always remember that. lol