My last two blogs have been a bit heavy so I thought it was time to lighten things up and laugh more.
Life has been pretty serious for the last two years and sometimes we just need to give ourselves permission to laugh and lighten up. How do you begin to laugh more? It does take practice and sometimes a different filter to see the world through.
I would love to hear what makes you or your family laugh. In the meantime, here are my four top tips to laugh more and lighten up.
1. Hang out with a toddler or young child.
If you have one or two in your family you are blessed with a pint-sized comedy machine that will constantly help you look at the funny side of life. Comments like,“I don’t want the new baby to be a boy or a girl; I want them to be Batman ” or, “I couldn’t eat my sandwich because it was dirty” (about wholegrain bread), are enough to give most people a chuckle. Always laugh with your children, not at them. Explain why what they said was funny so they can join in the joke. If you don’t have young children in your family, plan a get together with a family that does. Parents with young children do it tough and laughter helps them navigate hard times.
2. Get a pet or watch a funny pet video.
My dog is a bit of a boofhead and it’s difficult to remember to laugh rather than pull out my hair when he does stupid things (which is a lot). However, he is funny and I need to remind myself to laugh rather than rant at him. There is a reason that the ‘LOL cats’ were one of the first popular things shared on social media. We all like a good laugh. I don’t usually condone too much screen time, but if you don’t have your own pet there are countless funny YouTube clips about dogs and cats that will soon have you laughing at their antics.
3. Play games with friends and family.
If you just want to laugh, avoid your more competitive friends and just have fun with the games. Sometimes it is more fun to lose than to win because you know the other team is feeling good. Games like Pictionary and Taboo should be fun and lead to lots of laughter as you try to interpret someone’s stick-figure drawing or hear them stumble over the wrong words. Laugh at yourself often and this will guarantee you have a good time.
4. Keep things in perspective.
In future years, your children will look back fondly on the times you have laughed together as a family. It will stay with them as special memories and they will want to recreate those times of togetherness when they have their own families. It’s easy to ‘lose the plot’ when something goes terribly wrong but sometimes it is just as easy to laugh over it. Guess which experience you and your family will enjoy the most?
We are nearing the end of the school year and the stress builds up on our young and older students, not to mention our teachers and yourselves as parents and caregivers. As we navigate these final weeks, make a deliberate effort to look at the funny side of things, laugh often and lighten up.
Mike Curtis, Principal