Keep Your Family Laughing

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When you think about your spouse or your best friends what are the things you remember most about them and keep you feeling close to them? I think of two things. First that they stand by you in bad times and offer love. Second, all the times you've laughed together so hard that you were crying and breathless.

As the mom of your household, you have a massive amount of power on the mood in the house. In fact you hold almost all the power in the situation. Husbands and kids are brought down or raised up by the tone you set for the home. Even if they come home in a terrible mood you have a big impact on how they'll handle it once they get inside the front door.

If you set a light-hearted, cheerful tone to the home, they will look forward to being there and being near you. If you are tired, dragged down by household upkeep, and take things a little too seriously, you will find yourself in a house where people hide in the farthest room from where you are: the basement, their bedrooms, the garage, the backyard -- or at someone else's house.

There are many studies that show that children laugh many times more a day than adults do. It's time to turn that around. Be someone who laughs. Be cheerful. Do whatever it takes to keep your mood light. Watch a silly TV show. Share jokes as a family. Watch ridiculous YouTube videos. Be playful and fun.

People are always more important than tasks. You will always be rewarded in your relationships when you put them first. I have had many times lately where I have stopped & realized that someone in my family needed me and my love that very moment. Like a clap of thunder over my head, I felt impressed to stop and go spend time with that person.

Comically, this often happens when that person is being a bit of a pest trying to get my attention, which brings more emotions of annoyance than love and patience. (Hey, I'm laughing about that, how about you...are you laughing?) But when I see what they are really trying to communicate it's easy to put frustration and whatever task I'm doing aside and go have some fun and give some love. It's always a blessing to me and to them in the end.

While it's so easy to feel we're the ones guiding getting everything done in the family and around the house, I bet we'd be much better off putting ourselves in charge of happiness, laughter and fun. Imagine how much impact that could have on your family every day! Powerful! Laugh it up, Mama! Laugh it up! Go have some fun today.

Here are some links to get you laughing:

Dang Good Jokes

Jill Juck Jokes

Yahoo Kid Jokes & Humor

Aha Jokes On Parenting & Parents