THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING SILLY

Not to take too much creative licence from dear Mr Wilde, without whom we would not have some of the world's greatest wittiest quips; today I was reminded of the importance of being silly. I overheard my 2-year-old daughter making repeated fart noises (I assume with her mouth), over the dulcet tones of a play school in the background. I repeated her noises (with my mouth) and we had a silly sound off. Rolled around on the floor laughing. Time and space disappeared into the ether or at least into a space not measured by linear time and I cried with happiness. I didn't really cry. I could have if I didn't need to get the breakfast dishes cleaned up and Matilda off to kindy by 9:30. But taking the time to be ridiculously silly was a highlight of my day. I think I really like being silly. Its probably why I like being tipsy. Its like it gives adults (or me) licence to be silly. I don't want a licence I just want to do it, frequently and with gusto. Recently I spent some time with some kids who were beautifully silly, cheeky, clever and a little bit naughty. Their mother was constantly reigning in their silliness, understandably so, because if someone doesn't keep things sane they would undoubtedly starve and walk around in dirty clothes and have no home to live in because the bills would not get paid, However,I do hope that mummy is a silly billy on occasion. I am sure she is. I think often we try to control our kids way more in public than we do at home, to remind ourselves and others around us that our children are not (always) montrous cretins with no boundaries or respect for others. They can often be confused for this in my experience. I must qualify that I never ever judge another parents, at least I try very hard not to. I just will for a little silliness in the day. The world can be a very serious place so the lighter we are, and with our children in particular, the better. Algernon Moncrieff and Cecily Cardew would agree I am sure.