The Family that Laughs Together Stays Healthier Together

Laughter is universal. All around the world, people of all ages, nationalities, races, and religions laugh. Unlike words or hand gestures that often have different meanings, laughing is recognized as happiness across the globe.

It’s actually healthy for people to laugh. The human brain reacts to the sound in much the same way as it does when you meditate, so if you’re experiencing difficulty meditating, take up laughter instead.

You can incorporate laughter into your daily life with your entire family.

Children are especially good at this -- as long as adults haven’t gotten in the way. Let your children remind you how good it feels to laugh.

Encourage laughter and play. It’s good for your spirit too, and as it turns out, it’s also medically beneficial for your heart.

Scientists haven’t figured out exactly how, but researchers at the University of Maryland’s Medical Center have found that people with heart disease were “40 percent less likely to laugh in a variety of situations compared to people of the same age without heart disease.”

It seems then that laughter is indeed the best medicine.

People who are seriously ill are often encouraged to laugh. In some cases, the positive energy of laughter seems to have completely healed the patient. Is there a guarantee that this will work? No, but even laughing doesn’t literally save their lives. Instead, the lives they have are better because of it. In addition to being fun and uplifting for their spirit, one of the documented health benefits of laughter is pain relief.

Yet laughter is not just for those who are ill. It can help you prevent illness and lift your spirit no matter what health situation is. Laughing reduces stress and it helps your entire body -- even your brain, improving short-term memory.

When you have a full “belly laugh,” you release feel-good hormones while you increase the amount of oxygen flowing in your blood stream. Laughter helps your muscles to relax and stimulates circulation, both of which are good for body and soul.

Even babies laugh, with laughing out loud typically beginning before they’re 6 months old. The average adult laughs about 20 times per day. Young people often laugh 300 times a day, so this is definitely an area where parents can learn from their children.

Everyone’s experienced how contagious laughter can be. So gather the kids or family friends and have a laugh-in. Be willing to put aside your sense of propriety and laugh at silly things. Rent an old Laurel and Hardy or Marx Brothers film or a more modern comedy that tickles your funny bone.

Joke books can be another source of chuckles. Encourage each member of the family to learn a favorite joke to tell, although it might be an activity best reserved for after mealtime. Not during.

Have your own “America’s Funniest Videos” night, with or without the video camera. Especially if there are family members who are more sensitive or tend to feel picked on, it’s a good idea to have everyone tell stories about themselves. Even if it’s silly things they did or tried to do in the past, you could still find some humor in it.

This is a great time to learn to not take oneself too seriously. Adults sometimes need to be reminded of this and it’s a good lesson for kids to learn and take into adulthood. Let your ego go, and smile, smile, smile.

For more, please visit www.SharonBallantine.com.

Father’s Day When Dad’s not Around

Holidays can be difficult and stressful times, largely because they’re supposed to be joyful occasions filled with family and love. This is widely recognized in December, but what about other special days earlier in the year? For example, how do you celebrate or simply survive Father’s Day when Dad isn’t in the picture?

There can be a number of reasons why the father of your children isn’t around on the third Sunday in June.

It may be that you’re a single parent due to your spouse dying, being divorced, or you just never married. Or maybe Dad’s just away because of work. Maybe he even serves in the military.

Just because Dad isn’t around, there are still a variety of ways you can celebrate the holiday or get through the day.

One of the best things you can do is to tap into your Internal Guidance System (IGS) well in advance of the holiday. Using your IGS to recognize how you’re feeling about the absence of Dad is an important step and should be done when you have some time away from your children.

By being aware of your true feelings, you’ll be able to be honest with yourself and your kids, but also be respectful of their father and the situation.

Kids are smart and they’re very sensitive to your feelings even if you think you’re hiding them well. If you try to muddle through and just camouflage your feelings, you’ll be setting up a conflict that your kids will sense even if they can’t clearly identify it.

They’ll hear your words, feel your energy, and know the two aren’t in alignment. No matter how your kids respond to this disconnect, this isn’t in their best interest. They may learn to distrust their own IGS and intuition or they may even distrust you.

Your IGS can also help you discover the best way to handle the holiday for YOUR family. Remember this isn’t a one-size-fits-all situation and the answer won’t be either. Practice some different scenarios and feel what it might be like to be your children in the situation.

Does it feel good to have another adult male present or does that feel confusing or scary; like he might be trying to take Dad’s place?

How does it feel to spend time talking about Dad and why he isn’t there in an age and situation-appropriate way? Would it feel good to celebrate with another family or to talk about why fathers are special in more general terms?

For some families, it might feel good to celebrate what being a father means and whether that role is biological or not. You can talk about why Father’s Day was created in the first place -- as a day to thank and celebrate men for loving and supporting their families in so many ways. Perhaps you celebrate with grandfathers, uncles, or other male friends.

Be prepared to allow your kids to express their feelings about Father’s Day without Dad. Help them tap into their IGS to work through those feelings. If they’re feeling angry or sad because their father isn’t around, can they use their IGS to find a way to feel better without a magic wand?

This can be a painful and difficult day for both sons and daughters, so it’ll be important to keep the communication lines open. As your children grow and mature, you may be able to share more details about why their father isn’t there.

By honoring each family member’s feelings, you can help your children through challenging holidays. You can also teach them how to be adults who love, honor, and support their own children in the future. In the meantime, you can build your own family traditions that honor your family as it is in that moment.

For more, please visit www.SharonBallantine.com.