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!

8 comments:

  1. Hi Stacy,

    I have tagged you. Don't feel obligated :o)

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  2. I love doing this w/my kids.

    I am the same task oriented, so thanks for the reminder. :)

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  3. THANK YOU FOR THE WONDERFUL REMINDER!

    I noticed that you have read A Chance to Die by Elliot, how did you like it?

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  4. Kelli-
    Um, A Chance to Die...
    I enjoyed it. I found it intriguing, but I wouldn't say it was my all-time favorite book or anything. Have you read it? If so, what did you think?
    ~Stacy

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  5. Perchance....
    Thank you. Thank you. ~warmsmile~

    Ann

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  6. Hi Stacy,

    Yes! Isn't this important? Don't the kids faces just light up when we put down our lists of things to do and play with them?

    Mine love the chasing and tickling too. I think it's so funny when they are begging me to stop tickling, and so I stop and then they beg me to start again.

    Oh and thanks for your sweet note, Stacy.

    love,
    rebecca

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  7. And so, my dear, this blog entry highlights one of my failures as a husband and a father. I don't take enough pictures of you with the kids (or without either). If I did, we could have a great picture of you playing with them as you describe here.

    I'm sorry. I am trying to get better at that; really I am.

    Loving you, Mark

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  8. Yes, Stacy, thank you for this reminder!

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