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A reader asked me to expand on my comment regarding the appropriateness of a playful state of mind. To me, it's about when you decide to express your playfulness and to whom. Only you can make those decisions, knowing the circumstances.
An attitude of playfulness can move us through many seemingly serious situations. It takes nothing away from the firm and serious parents we also need to be. It provides balance. And great enjoyment, whether expressed or kept to ourselves.

Talking to a coaching buddy about the weekly accomplishments I was feeling good about. I'd been creating a list in my journal that was easily accessible.
He suggested turning my list into a screen saver on my pc.
Pink evidence based text slowly rolling across my  purple screen catches my eye and makes me smile. And those Inner Negative Voices are a little quieter.

Parenting young children can draw out a playful state of mind as we engage in games and fun activities. At times, bringing out your Inner Child may not be as developmentally appropriate as actually being a child.
I hadn't realized how egocentric I was being until I began to write about how hard the universe had to work this morning to get me moving in the direction of my intentions. I wrote:Three separate flocks of parrots had to fly into my neighborhood, which is a long way from their usual territory, to wake me up today. One flock almost swiped my windows. And while creating great excitement in my housebound cat., I was moved only as far as the coffee.
But, after a park walk and three sets of tai chi, I was ready to sit down and write.

Parenting Children is an amazing journey. And like any journey that lasts more than three days, there are times when the road may be obscured by fog. On days when I wake up with thick, low-hanging fog before my eyes, the day 40 of summer in San Francisco kind of fog, I know what to do. I call up my Inner Comic.
Like many performers, she is often sleeping in. I don't wake her. No need for two grouchy perspectives.
I simply suggest that during the day, she alert me to funny or unusual ways of looking at life. She never fails to point out a hilarious conversation on the bus, Nature's delightful wonders, or a fresh way to view myself. Once I'm laughing at myself, I know I've made it through the fog.

Our parents, as our first teachers, modeled both the good and the not -so- good aspects of parenting. At times, when I find myself reacting to my (adult) child in patterned ways, I have a choice. I can keep the behavior and thinking behind it, or edit it out.
Awareness allows us to become the parents we always wanted. And offer who we are now, as parents and people, to our children.

Parenting children often brings up a stream of worries. I wonder if there is something encoded in our DNA where worry=love.
A worry box is my physical container for the stream of worries that surface. I have a little ceramic box where I place brief written slips of my worries. Once recognized and placed inside the box, I attempt to detach from it. I let the Worry Box worry for me.
Opening the lid today, I picked one out at random. I was pleased to find that a particular Worry, with a capital w, had not come to be. I felt uplifted. I'm smiling as I write this.

Combined some fantastic support and encouragement with deep breaths, today. Inhaled positive feedback, recently given, all the way down to my toes.
Exhaled my own unrealistic expectations and comparisons.
Feeling optimistic about yourself helps you enjoy your parenting, and your life.

While meditating in a good friend's backyard yesterday, I was given a tiny reminder by Nature. With closed eyes I gently swatted off my knee what felt like a mosquito just beginning to sting.
 Opening them, I observed a bee sitting on my other knee. My friend commented that not only hadn't this ever happened but they'd never noticed bees in the yard.
So, while I sat, on her front porch, with baking soda paste on my knee, I contemplated what metaphor would be most helpful.
I chose: Bee Yourself.
Our children benefit when we are parenting them as our own unique selves.

An adult child was attempting to get her father off the bus. She told him in his first language that they'd reached their destination. The man argued and gestured. I couldn't understand his words but his tone was clearly one of frustration. For three stops, the daughter tried to get her dad off the bus.
One young man, also frustrated with the loud argument, offered, "Ask him where he wants to go. Maybe he doesn't want to go to City Hall. Ask him.You can't help someone unless you know exactly what they need help with. Ask him."
I'm reminded to ask, "What do you need help with regarding parenting your children?"