Oh-so important

I was reminded yesterday of an oh-so important task of mothering little ones:

Get down on the floor. And I don't mean on your knees in prayer (although we should also do that). What I mean is this: walk into the room your children are in, and get down on the floor.

Try lying down in the middle of the room. They will not leave you alone for long. Pretty soon each child will be on you, wrestling, tickling, or wanting a ride on your back. Or-- if you have a daughter: trying to turn the event into a game of house. "Let's say I'm your mommy and you're my baby and you're taking a nap..." [Always a nice game to play, I think.]

Or this: get down on your hands and knees and pretend to be a lion or a bear, replete with growls (as ferocious as you dare), and hunt them down. My children all run squealing into a corner. Then when I meet up with them, I burrow my head in their tummies and tickle them. (When my youngest is afraid of the growling, I ask him to join me. He can be a lion, too! And we'll get them together!) Or go with the sleeping theme-- pretend you're some animal, sleeping on the floor. And they'll gather up the courage to creep up to you, with whispers and many urgent, "You go. You go first"'s and then just when they get to you, surprise them with tickles.

Yesterday I sat on the floor and we ended up in a pillow fight. I laughed harder than I have in weeks. I loved it. And they did, too.

I tend to be a pretty task-oriented person, dutifully making and checking off my lists throughout the day. And some days I am so on TASK that I have forgotten to just BE with my children. Yesterday was a great reminder to me. It was so good to laugh with pure delight at their antics. To tune out the waiting dishes, meal preparation and straightening up and just enjoy them.

For all I know, everyone else has this same kind of crazy fun in their house, too. But if perchance you don't, I encourage you to begin!