Lasting Impressions : Dads that Make a Difference

Practitioner: Charlie

Problem: There are times when people are blue, down in the dumps or just have a hard time getting it going. It happens frequently in the middle of winter, especially if there have been many days without sunshine.  Although there might not be any particular cause for this general malaise, you feel like you have a 500-pound weight hanging around your neck dragging you down.  Something has weakened the spirit of the family and it must be restored. 

Prelude: When people are emotionally down it is analogous to a car with a weak battery.  Even if your car has been running and starting just fine for a long time, if it gets really cold overnight or if you left the lights on and you try to start it, the starter just grinds because there is not enough power to turn it over - it is just flat out, worn down and will not go.  Families can get like that, just kind of worn down.  With a car you can get another car to give you a boost or jump-start and you’ll be going again in almost no time.  That’s what the April 4^th time to celebrate prescription is all about! It is a jump-start to re-energize your family, to perk them up and get them started and on the way again.

Another way to think about this is when you have the creeping crud and the doctor gives you a shot of penicillin and almost immediately you start to feel better.  That is what the “ Time to Celebrate” is designed for – that quick boost to get you out of the drums (the doldrums and the humdrums that is) and back into the game of life. 

There is some type of universal corollary that I’ve witnessed over the years that goes like this, “If you are happy, it’s hard to be sad.”  No rocket science to that observation, these are not completely mutually exclusive events but there is more truth than fiction to the statement that it’s hard to be sad when you are happy.  Therefore, the concept of a little fun, levity or a break in the everyday, is a good way to eradicate some of the sad.

Prescription: Find or make up some reason to break through the sluggishness that life has dealt you and have a little family fun.  This can be as impulsive as getting in the car and going for a quick ice-cream at your family’s favorite place (for added effect do this before dinner) or a planned activity like bringing a cake home with candles, singing silly songs after dinner, blowing out the candles with everyone making a wish and making a big deal out of anything that would not normally be celebrated.  You can decorate the house; make up prizes like one day without chores for event winners (work very hard to make everyone a winner of at least something in these games) or a moratorium on something they dislike for a day. Events can be as obtuse as celebrating ground-hog day with pictures of the furry little beasts and contests to see who can best walk like one to the winter solstice where everyone walks around in your swim suits and you have a make believe day at the beach. Celebrate by eating a picnic on towels scattered about the living room and sunbathing, reading, building sandcastles (substitute Lego blocks for sand) and body surfing (if you have a tile or wooden floor dad can be the wave and have the kids lay on their towels while he pulls them around through the “surf”) or maybe you just make something up and go with it.

Another idea is to have a kitchen holiday where everyone decides what they are going to eat (even if it is cookies and Coke) and does it on disposal dishes and silverware so there are virtually no dishes to clean.  If Mom does the cooking she will appreciate the break (although you will probably have to convince her that one day of questionable nutrition will not have a life-long deleterious impact on the family’s well being).  You could also choose a country to learn about and make a craft or dinner that depicts that culture.  The possibilities are endless.

If the weather permits and your family is large enough this could be a romping good time in the back yard with three legged races, standing on your heads or relay races.  However, there is nothing to say that this event must be restricted to your own family.  If you want to get out of the box a little, invite a few neighbors to participate in the craziness and have everyone bring a dish to pass.  If you live in a place like Michigan where there is not a lot of sunshine in the winter months you definitely know how the blues can set in.  So it’s a pretty good bet that if your family has the “drums”, others do too.  Make it a “more the merrier” celebration.  If you are like me, the neighbors already think you’re a bit loony so why not have some fun and share the wealth.  Have fun, laugh and break the blues while you make your own rules!