Friday, July 25, 2008
by
Cindy Droog
I'm a pretty happy-go-lucky kind of gal. I don't take myself too seriously, and I think it's important to find joy every day, in every project, and every encounter. But even I have days when it's hard to find something to smile about.
My oldest son is a lot like me. Every three weeks or so, he has a really bad day. Nothing tastes good. Nothing sounds like fun. Even Handy Manny doesn't inspire. And, he must do everything himself. A few days ago, he had one of those days. He was so cranky and naughty. Hubby and I were a little frustrated. With every suggestion, such as, "Can I read to you," the retort was, "No, I will read to me!"
"Do you want to go outside and play soccer?"
"No, I will play it inside!" (which he knows isn't allowed.)
So, we took my dear friend Kate Lord's advice. She's a professional photographer, who always told me to snap pictures of the kids not just when they were smiling, happy, or doing something noteworthy. Instead, she says the best pictures capture the range of emotions. So get them crying. Acting out. Screaming. Throwing a fit.
So, here's A.J. on one of his "No, I will help me!" days. He's smiling (sort of), but trust me. That's his defiant smile.
When he gets a little older and needs cheering up, I'll make him listen to my "I'm having a bad day" Playlist. He'll hate the songs, but will hopefully appreciate the effort. After all, my dad made me listen to Bobby Vinton, and while "Blue Velvet" still makes me cringe, it also makes me laugh as I remember Dad singing it, completely off key, while driving me to school.
"Second Wind" by Billy Joel lives on my "Bad Day" Playlist, just like it lived on my old Walkman tape player when I was younger. Billy says:
"Don't forget your second wind. Sooner or later you'll feel that momentum kick in.
You've been keeping to yourself these days, 'cause you're thinking everything's gone wrong;
Sometimes you just want to lay down and die. That emotion can be so strong;
But hold on - til that old second wind comes along!"
I'd love to hear from you! What songs should I add to my Playlist that help you through a hard day? What do you do to help your kids get through one?