Surviving Parenthood

by Kirk Kraft

Kirk Kraft of Marysville is married and the father of four children, all under 8 years old, in whom he takes great delight. He believes parenting is a journey filled with joyous peaks and difficult valleys, but it is also the greatest privilege in the world. He can be reached at kraftka@verizon.net.

We all know that kids say the darndest things. My daughter, Katarina, has started saying, "I need help here!" when frustrated by a certain task before her. My oldest, Arianna, when only two years old used to declare, "Dad, this is the deal." These are cute moments and they are commonplace in our home.

All parents can relate to these out-of-the-blue comments. Humor is a beautiful thing to share within a family. The ability to laugh at your kids' silly sentences and artistic 'performances,' and to laugh at yourself, are essential parts to a healthy home.

Many have said that humor brings health to a body. Those of us with children should be some of the healthiest people around! It can also result in affection and a deeper connection. Reading humorous books aloud and laughing about the characters can mean so much to your kids. Humor in the home consists of not only laughing together but discovering the little things that can bring smiles to our faces.

My son, Caleb, has taken to hiding when I come home. My daughters run to welcome me with hugs, but he lies in wait to surprise me. It's things like this that make us all laugh.

I also enjoy my three oldest kids sitting around and playing Duck, Duck, Goose with me. We have started a new naming process that not only includes the traditional fowl names but such words as pancake, syrup, Dora, Boots and the names of various fruits and vegetables. It certainly adds some flavor and a lot of laughter.

It's as much about the laughter as it is about the time spent laughing. Dedicated time with your children visibly shows them you love and treasure them. Time spent laughing is even better. We have a game we play where my three oldest children will either climb on my back, on my feet or crawl under me to sit in the "shade." All the while, we are laughing.

Let humor invade your home and let it comfortably reside there as a long-term guest. The joys of our lives can be found in the memories of shared experiences. Humor should be one of those frequent experiences.

The memories of laughing together as a family will be a balm during difficult times. Laughter truly is the best medicine.

Kirk Kraft is married and the father of four children, all under 8 years old, in whom he takes great delight. He believes parenting is a journey filled with joyous peaks and difficult valleys, but it is also the greatest privilege in the world. He can be reached at kraftka@verizon.net.