Silly is as Silly Does: 5 Ways to be Silly with your Boys

One morning last week, in the rush of getting everyone and everything ready, I walked into the kitchen and smiled at Eli.  He stopped what he was doing (unloading the dishwasher) and just looked at me and grinned.  He looked happy but also a bit perplexed.  I kept smiling at him and he laughed and said, "what?".

It dawned on me... "He's acting surprised that I'm smiling at him!"  Oh my goodness!  I instantly felt sad.  I asked him if he sees me smile very often or if I just look grumpy all the time.  (I wasn't sure if I really wanted to know.)  He looked down.  I told him he could answer truthfully and that whatever he said was OK.  He said, "It's about 1/2 grumpy 1/2 smiley!"  *Sigh...at least he thinks I'm happy 1/2 of the time.

Goodness, that is a wake up call!

I started thinking about JOY and what that looks like being "lived out".

I looked up the word JOY and this is what Mr. Webster had to say:

a : the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires :delight

 JOY seems hard, because we don't always possess what we desire. Whether it's money, a new home, a car, fabulous vacations, obedient children, we are always longing for something we don't have.

So exactly what is it we need?

 Jesus tells Paul,

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”  2 Corinthians 12:9

Since Jesus says HIS grace is all we need then we should have JOY because he freely gives it to us!

Psalm 92:4

For you make me glad by your deeds, Lord; I sing for joy at what your hands have done.

Psalm 118:15

Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous: “The Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!

Psalm 126:2

Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.”

Psalm 126:3

The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.

The second part of Webster's definition states:

b : the expression or exhibition of such emotion : gaiety

I have forgotten how important not just having JOY is, but also displaying JOY.  What good is being joyful if we don't show it?

Mr. Webster also listed the synonyms and antonyms:

Synonyms
beatitude, blessedness, bliss, blissfulness, felicity, gladness, happiness, warm fuzzies

Antonyms
calamity, ill-being, misery, sadness, unhappiness, wretchedness

Yikes! Those antonyms are really awful!

So how can we show JOY to our children?  I don't think it's just about having a smile on your face.  I think we have to have FUN.  Show them that we can be silly for no other reason than just to be SILLY! 

As a parent, we spend so much time training, teaching, cooking, cleaning, you name it we do it.  We can become so focused on what HAS to be done that we forget the little things like being silly.  I wonder how many times instead of reprimanding them for the 100th time about not splashing water outside of the tub, I could have run in with a pitcher of water and dumped it on their heads.  Or what about the times they take off the couch cushions to build a fort and I huff and yell, "BOYS!"  What if I just joined in?

So I started thinking of ways that I AM silly with the boys.  Instead of focusing on what I don't do, I thought it might be a good idea to improve upon what I, do, do! :)

So, here we have it:

5 Ways to Show Your Silliness

5. You must dance and you must dance badly!

I have learned that the more ridiculous, over exaggerated dance moves you have, the bigger giggle you get from them!

4. When they ask you a question, answer them with a British accent.

My boys are fans of Peppa Pig.  I think it's on Nick Jr.  They speak with British accents.  One day, Noah asked me for a tomAHto.  Yep, he sounded like he was British.  I said, "do you mean tomAYto?"  Poor kid doesn't even know how to say tomato! LOL  Anyway, since then, I'll randomly start talking with an accent and they think it's hilarious.  Although my British accent at times has a hint of Spanish and perhaps Chinese!  It's pathetic!

3.  Quote Duck Dynasty!

This is a must at our house!  We just got hooked on this crazy show!  There is nothing quite like a good Si-ism!  Our favorites are "That's Si-entistic!" "He gone!"  "That's a fact Jack!"  Of course when Jonah says it, he says, "you're fat, Jack!"  When I start quoting them, the boys are sure to bust out laughing!

2. Use the "FORCE" and use it dramatically!

Yep, as in the Star Wars Force.  The boys will be running around playing something, using their swords and various toys that have been turned into weapons.  I'll pretend to use "the force" on them to try and get them to do something I've asked.  They always laugh!  And it never fails, for some reason their fake "light saber" can stop my fake use of "the force".  I don't really think that's fair, but whatever!

1.  Kiss their dirty little faces!  (Multiple times if needed!)

My boys are pretty affectionate with the exception of Noah.  I have no idea why.  He hates to give hugs or kisses to me.  We've pegged it down to the fact that I'm a girl! :)  BUT he does want me to rub his back every night at bedtime.  Often when I'm done rubbing his back and ask for hugs and kisses and he denies me, I'll kiss him anyway.  I'll grab his cheeks and plant kisses all over his face.  He claims to hate it, but he's laughing uncontrollably!  Several times he's even asked me to do it again.  Then little brother Jonah pipes in and says, "Kiss my face too Momma!"

When my boys are grown, I'd love for them to be able to say: "Man, my mom always smiled at us even when we were driving her crazy. She was never afraid to join in on the craziness! That's how I knew she loved ME!" Writing these words, makes me tear up. I know that the boys will all too soon be grown and gone. I know that I still have some growing to do in this role of a "parent"...OK a lot of growing. Even though I've messed up a few years, I'm so thankful for the years I have left to get it right!

Proverbs 23:24-26

New International Version (NIV)

24 The father of a righteous child has great joy;
    a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him.
25 May your father and mother rejoice;
    may she who gave you birth be joyful!