I’m a silly person by nature. As a mom, I’ve now got a good excuse to act goofy. A theatre minor in college, I’ve discovered my inner Thespian again and love to act out Dr. Seuss books, hit myself in the head with a toy bat a la The Three Stooges, or belt out Annie’s “Tomorrow” at the top of my lungs like a crazed opera singer – anything to get a laugh out of my kids.
These days, I have license to run around the house with a pot on my head and bark like a dog and blame my craziness on the kids. “I’m their free entertainment and a whole more interactive than Elmo,” I can say.
Now I have someone to watch Finding Nemo with (I admit: I love that flick) and someone who thinks hairy legs feel funny, not gross (sadly, I can attest that bristly legs are ticklish to a child’s curious hands). There are days when we stay in our PJs and “campout” in the living room. I take my daughters to the playground and push them in the swings and then let their legs gently kick my bum. When I dramatically bounce forward, they convulse with laughter, and I feel like an acclaimed standup comedian. I dance around the living room with the best dance partners in the world – a twirling preschooler and a naked baby who could care less if I don’t know how to tango.
The laugh track around my house is constant. And I love it. I’ve found silliness and the belly laughs that follow are one of the best ways to give me a lift when I’m feeling tired or frazzled.
Some women epitomize, “I am woman. Hear me roar.” I prefer to live by the mantra, “I am Mommy. Hear me laugh.”
Do your kids bring out the silliness in you, too? What have you done lately to make your kids (and yourself) laugh?
Jayce has a hard time with changing his diaper. He’ll lay down, but then roll over onto his stomach so you can’t get his diaper off! So, I’ve taken to singing, “There are bears in the bed and the little one said, ‘Roll over, roll over!’ And they all rolled over and Jayce fell out!” And he thinks its hilarious and doesn’t even notice when I roll him over at the end to change his diaper :)
We also have something called “Tickle Bugs” in our house. They fly through the air, hovering in anticipation, “Its…. sillllllyyyyy…. TICKLE TIME! Its silly tickle time! Its silly Tickle Time!”
And then quietly, “Its cuddle mommy time”
Both kids love it! But the greatest thing about those songs is that my mom taught me when I was little :)
My son is only 6 months old, but already my husband & I are doing all kinds of crazy things just to get giggles!
I sing constantly – usually silly songs, but occasionally hymns from Church. Sometimes I sing seriously, but sometimes just for laughs!
We play the "I'm gonna get you" game constantly.
Raspberries aren't fruit around our house – they're spit flying, noise making, hilarity producers!
The dog isn't just a companion – he's his own act. Just the act him of walking across the floor sends my son into crazy giggles. When we get the ball out or wrestle w/ the dog, my son practically busts a gut!
My husband makes all kinds of silly faces designed to get giggles! He's actually the 1st person our son laughed at. He was doing a mundane task – watering potted plants, but threw the watering can in the air & caught it again & cracked our son up!
I love the laugh track & hope it continues!
My Michaela is only 5 months, but oh how she loves to giggle. When I undress her at night, when we make silly faces or noises, when she sees herself in the mirror and so on. I discovered that if I sit her on my tummy while I do sit ups, its like a game of peekaboo to her, and she burst into laughter, no matter how cranky she is! Oh and then there is my personal favorite of her laughing at me whenever I change her poopy diapers! :)
What a beautiful post, I love it! More moms need to embrace the wonderful gift of seeing life through your child’s eyes!