It's Ok To Laugh

Published on Heart of the Matter Online, May 28

I was hanging out with some "serious" moms the other day who were really heavy into a conversation about homeschooling and I watched our children play and some children appeared as if they were starving from boredom. This conversation was oh, so deep. Ha! Initially, I thought that I had lighten things up a bit with my usual weird comments (as some call them). Although, I call them eclectic comments. I have a lot of ideas scrambling around up there and they don't always come out in proper order, you know. Then my ADHHHHHD brain began to wonder off into "La La Land". Soon the only thing that I could hear was the voice of Charlie Brown's teacher..."waa wa waa wa wa wa." Now, I love curriculum and school talk, don't get me wrong but I'm so glad that I can relax and have fun.

I've been told several times that I not only look younger than my age (tapping on 40) but I behave younger than my age also. I don't mind that compliment at all. I love being silly. There's a time and a place for silliness, of course, but I love putting on the silliest especially around my gang.

There have been times when I had strutted to the dining room table, our schoolroom, with my pants jacked up waist high and my hair wildly dressed on my head. I would announce that I was Bobby Sue and here to teach their class for today while speaking in my strongly accentuated southern drawl. Sometimes, I would enter our schoolroom wearing my many accessories, chewing my gum and appearing ghettofabulous in all my glory. I would announce that my name was Shaniqua and I was their teacher for the day while snapping my fingers and rolling my neck around. The gang would just practically fall out of their seats with laughter.

When I appear as myself, they would beg for one of their "substitute" teachers to appear. What am I? Chopped liver? Ha! They love those characters. I also love getting down on the floor to color with my toddler, playing ball with my boys, dressing up like story characters and creating silly jokes or making funny endings to the "serious" read alouds that we share in history or science sometimes. Now, don't think that I'm the only one. Hubby gets in on the silly act also. They get a real kick out of Dad's goofiness as well.

Not long ago, I had been stressing pondering over rearranging my schedule in order to ensure that every I is dotted and every T is crossed but a great homeschool mom, who is also a sweet friend, had influenced me to drop the times from my schedule. Just teach and go with the flow! What better way to ensure an environment for laughing and learning than by dropping a constriction to times? How fun is that? We are loving it, loving it, loving it! Thanks, Roan!

Well, school is ending for some and others are homeschooling year round as we do but in whatever you do, just remember to go with the flow. Don't think too seriously or too hard. Don't push yourself to the point of pulling out your hair over curriculum or schedules. Just have fun and let the curiosity of your children and the joy of learning be your guide. What are some ways that you incorporate the fun factor into your days?



Kysha is a registered nurse turned SAHM. She is married to a wonderful paramedic husband and homeschools their five children ranging in ages from 1 to 17, four kings and one queen. You can visit Kysha at her blog Love's School.