GiggleChildren are the merriment makers. With their miniature bodies they giggle and run and roll, they bounce and move all over the place. They wiggle when you hold them and they’ve got such exuberant energy that when they enter a room you notice. They like to touch and taste everything. And they can look you in the eye with such charming honesty that for a second you don’t know for sure what to do. There are so many things to be tickled about. Washing those sticky little fingers and soft little chins can bring a smile to any sourpuss.Life is full of the ridiculous, and children have a knack for seeing it everywhere. Four-year-old Annie was the smartest little girl. An adult asked her one day, “Do you have a boyfriend?” She looked at him, ran to her mother’s side, started laughing, and answered, “That’s a funny question.” Then she giggled some more. Mom giggled too because it was a such a silly question.
Giggling starts as a ripple and may expand into a deep belly laugh. It’s truly therapeutic, relaxing, and calming. With a little laughter you’re free to enjoy the absurd. Kids are quick to laugh, and you don’t have to be a comedian to entertain them. Little kids, especially, will laugh at just about anything—just give them an excuse. A silly face or an absurd comment can elicit shrieks of delight, especially coming from you.
Sandy took a van full of third graders to the park. While driving down the road, the kids laughed and waved at the passers-by. Some grouches ignored the kids, but other folks smiled, honked their horns, and waved too; and then the kids laughed louder. If a kid waves at you, wave back; it’s a very easy way to spread a lot of happiness around.
Never squelch those giggles. If you find that you haven’t felt giddy for a while, try talking gibberish or singing a nonsensical tune to break the ice; the reaction you get from your child will certainly keep the momentum going. And if you have really forgotten how to giggle, invite a team of thirteen-year-old girls to afternoon tea. That will surely get things going in the giggling direction.
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