It’s a Good Life

I’ve been telling people this past year that I want to be a more fun person.  I almost wanted to make it my new year’s resolution, but then, if you make being fun an assignment, it really isn’t that fun anymore, is it?  😛 So it’s been more of a self-analytical learning process that I’ve been on – trying to understand why I’m so square and finding ways to not be. 🙂  There’s likely a dozen reasons why I am the way I am, but it all really comes down to genetics and upbringing, which are things I can’t change, so I just need to make do with what I’ve got!  I especially want to inject more fun into myself so I can be a positive influence on E and C.  I mean, what kid wants a party pooper (aka. little old me) raining on their parade every day?  

For starters, I’m really trying to put aside the anal part of myself when I play with the kids.  This is difficult because for some strange reason (haha) I find myself wanting to clean up whenever I am supposed to be playing.  I even use the excuse that it will give us more space on the floor to play on if I just put the legos or books or cars away first!  This definitely doesn’t go over well with the kids who couldn’t care less how many things are obstructing the carpet.  So my motto now is “play first, clean up later”.   Once all the fun is over, there will still be plenty of toys to put away (and cleaning up can be made into a game itself!).

I’ve discovered though that I’m not very good at playing.  Maybe I’m just not into racing hot wheel cars or playing grocery store for hours on end.  A lot of times I find my mind wandering to things I want to get done (ie. dishes) or trying to stifle a yawn.  😛  Hubby, on the other hand, can make any activity fun and interesting for the kids.  The other day he set some cotton balls on fire with a new flint he bought – all this on the dining room table!  The kids were fairly entertained as I hovered nearby with a fire extinguisher in hand (not really cause we don’t own one, but it would have been nice!). 

The other issue I have that hinders my fun-ness is that I try to micromanage the kids’ fun. 😛  I think many parents do this from what I’ve overheard on the playground: “Don’t touch the dirt!” and “Pour the sand here, not there!”  And at home, it’s hard not to cringe when the kids want to mix different play dough colors together or when ingredients go flying all over the kitchen counter when we’re making muffins.  But I’m trying to reign in my nit-picking and just go with the flow! 

Honestly, life (especially childhood) is too short to not have fun.  And I will stay square if I miss out on these spontaneous and carefree moments.  Thank God that I have this second chance to be a kid again, or maybe for the first time cause hubby calls me “the one without a childhood”.  😛  Just gotta remind myself not to complain because it really is a good life (if I don’t let my squareness get in the way!).  🙂

Here are some pictures of my recent fun (aka. mostly non-anal and non-micromanaging) times of playing with the kids:

 

 

  
And here’s a song by One Republic, “Good Life“, that gets you moving!

What makes your life a good life?

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