I’m a mom, stepmom, and theatre educator helping exhausted parents access their inner creative playfulness for more connection and joy. No messy crafts, complicated setups, or sensory bins here! Just simple, silly moments that bring your family back together through laughter. My short weekly emails share reflections from real life and a simple invitation you can try for yourself or with your kids.
PROOF that goofing around is productive!
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Yesterday I did something I haven’t done in four years. I went into the studio to record harmonies on an album. This was for a producer I used to work with a lot… …until I gave birth to my son. Last time I was in there I was super pregnant. It was like time traveling, because it had felt like such a long time and also not a long time at all. This was a big deal for me because it was like getting a big part of myself back that I had been missing! 🥺 Singing harmonies is good for my soul and getting to do it professionally is still a pinch-me experience. BUT, I also realized something huge as I was driving home. There’s a big reason that singing in THIS specific studio with THIS producer and engineer brings me so much joy (and why when the text came in asking to come back, I immediately reached out to all my friends asking for babysitter recommendations)! It’s the jokes. We always joke around and are just silly and ridiculous throughout the sessions there. And it doesn’t mean we don’t take the work seriously! Quite the opposite; we all care very much about getting it right and how it all sounds and feels. It's that we don't take ourselves seriously. A BIG part of it feeling and sounding right is actually the atmosphere that the producer there cultivates by being funny and warm and not so serious. I realized that is truly what enables me to feel confident and do my best job. When I’m singing there, my inner critic is nowhere to be found (and that’s saying a lot). When I mess up, he doesn’t say, “That was a little pitchy” or “That’s not the right tone…” He says, “Sounding goooood, let’s try another pass! This time why don’t we try…” and there are little moments of humor sprinkled in. Like when we started rhyming back and forth on the mic “Hey, it’s Bruce the Produce (referring to the studio dog, Moose, who I accidentally called Bruce)… …He just wants you to let loose… …Look at that tree, is that a spruce?… …No way you silly goose… …Okay, let’s call a truce…” (Yes, this was a real conversation but it actually went on even longer, and it was in between takes!) Sure, this could easily be seen as a waste of time or like we’re not getting down to business, but it’s all very important. It looses me up and relaxes me and THAT enables me to sing freely and from the heart (with minimal overthinking). So on my way home, I was reflecting on all this and BOOM it hit me that this is so applicable to my message here about our relationships with our kids. When we lead with warmth, humor, and not taking things so seriously… …when we can put away the constant urgency and intentionally prioritize laughter… It is productive. But more than that… it’s joyful. And joy is something worth making space for. (that's a lot of bold words, but it all felt important!) My invitation for you this week: See how many little “jokes” you can sneak in. Even if it feels like there’s not enough time. Cheering you on always, MORE FROM PLAYFUL HEART PARENTING: Done-for-you fun. Simple, creative apps that take the brainwork out and put connection and laughter in. LITTLE MOMENTS FOR BIG LAUGHS: Quick and easy, random, silly moments to share with your kids. The program for you if you feel like the “fun version” of you has left the building. 🫶 |
Playful Heart Parenting
I’m a mom, stepmom, and theatre educator helping exhausted parents access their inner creative playfulness for more connection and joy. No messy crafts, complicated setups, or sensory bins here! Just simple, silly moments that bring your family back together through laughter. My short weekly emails share reflections from real life and a simple invitation you can try for yourself or with your kids.
I turned 39 yesterday. Here’s what I’m taking with me into my last year of my 30s… …and what I’d like to leave behind! TAKING WITH ME (Or prioritizing if I’ve let it slip lately) • Games at mealtimes (Plot Twist is still a hit with my son!) • Being my authentic, comfy, messy self online • Laughing more with my husband (not just with the kids) • Trying at least one silly little thing a day (lately I’ve been pulling from my own Little Moments collection) • Telling my kids how much I love...
My fam was in town this past weekend. My sweet son turned four(!!) and my mom, sis, and dad flew out to celebrate. We packed a lot in and while sometimes quick visits like this can feel stressful, this was a great weekend full of moments that helped everyone laugh and loosen up so I want to share them with you now! 1- Name That (Minion) Tune We sang songs like the minions from “despicable me” and it’s literally so fun for all ages (even grandpa played) - tip, just sing the syllables...
The other night, I caught myself thinking something that wasn’t true. It had been one of those tricky days. The older two were bickering. My son was being too rough with the baby (my biggest trigger). I lost my temper. But then dinner shifted everything. Just me and the kids, waiting for my husband, connecting through my favorite way: collaborative storytelling. (We each tell a few sentences, then say “popcorn!” to pass it on.) That night’s story was called Nigel and the Beast 😂 Quick...