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.
The snot-rocket story nobody asked for
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I knew Saturday was also my only day to get some work done, uninterrupted, but I also knew that we needed at least a few minutes together as a family to just be together and laugh. My son, as always, had wild energy (it seems to be getting more and more wild as he approaches age 4… who can relate??) ...and I was proud of him for asking, “Can we play ‘Who can sound like?’” where I give him weird, silly prompts to channel his loudness. I shifted from that game to “You are…” so I could give him more physical prompts (because he was climbing up onto the couch and jumping off) and one of them was: "You are a snot bubble accidentally getting shot out of someone’s nose when they sneeze” (Yes, these are the kinds of things you’ll get when you sign up for my apps, sorry not sorry, the kids love em!) But before my son even started acting it out, Steve, my husband chimed in, “Oh, have I got a story for YOU!” and he launched into it like a dramatic monologue. “It's 2002. I'm sitting on the bleachers at school.
I'm wearing my brand new crew neck sweatshirt.
Suddenly... I hear a big, loud ‘Aaa-CHOOOO!!!!’ right behind me.
Lo and behold, Danny Krumpensworth* has shot the biggest snot rocket ever, straight onto my shoulder, all over my brand new sweatshirt.”
(*I don’t remember his real name, nor do I want to embarrass him if he somehow reads these emails so I made that one up for funsies) “Ewwww!” We all laugh-cringed. I said, “I’ve actually never heard that story before!” And then I was thinking how nice it is to learn something new or just hear a little anecdote about your partner’s life even after being together for a long time. It was a reminder that we always have something new to learn about each other. And it’s-not like it was some deep epiphany but it was kind of nice to jump back in time for a second and get a snippet of his life as a kid. (see what I did with those bold letters?? yeah, really proud of that) Sometimes prioritizing these little moments of silliness can lead to an unexpected avenue of connection. Like hearing a gross story from your husband’s high school years. My invitation for you this week: Take a few minutes to play a silly game together and be open to whatever direction it might lead. Maybe it will bring up a funny memory or a new inside joke or a story you’ve never heard before! Cheering you on always, P.S. I’ve been having way too much fun adding prompts to these apps each week! My most recent favorite was my son’s impression of baby hippo getting the hiccups (so cute and funny!) If you have a recent joyful moment you’d like to share, I’d love to hear about it! Just hit reply. 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. Strategies for navigating everyday parenting challenges and reducing power struggles through play. |
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.
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