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[Nicola Stunell]

One of the questions we have to answer is about bringing more joy into our daily lives… Here is my response 🙂

Isn’t it funny how daunting thinking about incorporating fun and joy in your life is! I grew up in quite a serious family so even more daunting for me. You are so right that kids are always trying to draw you back into it (the fun and laughter). My eldest son wants to make everything into a rough housing type game… from getting dressed in the morning to saying goodnight when I’m putting him to bed. I think it is his way also of seeking out that connection he so, so needs. Dance parties and nerf wars are also pretty popular at our house in the evening 🙂 Recently for me I have been listening to The Moth podcast where people from across the globe tell stories from their lives. I love it… it makes me laugh, it makes me cry. I have that as my ‘thing’ in the morning before the kids get up while I’m pottering having my breakfast and doing whatever else needs doing. I’d love to hear some more ideas!

[Nicola Stunell]

I just thought too, that nature and it’s amazing beauty and wonder is also a big source of joy for me and my family 🙂

[Meg Rodney]

@nicola – I hear you on how daunting it can be to think about incorporating fun and joy, especially when coming from a more serious home yet having rambunctious kiddos. One of the things that I learned from my father-in-law is that a lot of fun and joy can be brought in through words and quiet play. He is not a rough-and-tumble kind of grandpa, but kids LOVE him and want to play with him. He plays all sorts of things – from card games to board games to hiding a little alien and having the kids find it (they get their energy out running around trying to locate it) to creating towns out of cardboard boxes, etc. He is always respectful and has treated the kids as equals and playmates since they could walk, and the grandkids get so much joy when they are with him.

Personally, I am not rough-and-tumble either, and I don’t particularly enjoy that kind of play; so, I tend to get those connecting giggles with my boys through banter. My youngest especially loves playful banter. I let my boys get their rough-and-tumble needs met through each other, and they get connecting joy in other ways from me.

[Genevieve Simperingham]

Lovely to have a podcast on the go Nicola that brings the smiles and laughter! And the tears! Nature for me is definitely my happy place as well. As a family we try to get out to do a particular busy/ river walk most evenings, which really fills my cup. And lately Dan and I have started waking up early and going for a walk about 7am when it’s all so peaceful, it’s a lovely loop walk by the local river and marina, which really makes a huge difference to my day. Ayesha has finished school now, but I used to drop her at school then listen to The Rock radio station until I got home, those DJs are always having a laugh with each other and with those who ring in and invariably I’d get at least one good laugh before getting back home which would so reset me before starting work. My meditation is a biggie for me as well, because I’ve been practicing it for a long time I can just drop into that beautiful peaceful place even if I just have 10 minutes to spare.

Also for me what fills my cup is to play something with one or more of my family members, because my oldest is 17 the games have changed of course. We all love playing jin rummy or cheap or presidents or poker. If it’s just Ayesha and I we often play speed which is particularly fast and filled with tension hence lots of huge releasing laughter.

Dan and I try to fit in at least one game of backgammon in most days. I feel like I’ve kinda missed out if we haven’t fitted in a game. And I often think that this is how kids must feel when they haven’t fitted in some fun play with their parent, except multiplied by a 1,000 because play is their main way to bond, to connect, to release, to enjoy, to spend time together, to feel loved, to resolve and work through stresses.

We even bring the backgammon and the cards with us wherever we go. We used to play a lot of Uno in those earlier days, or Monopoly dear (your boys might like that one!?).

Sitting outside to eat a meal together as a family is another little activity that usually brings a lot of joy. Now that it’s the warmer weather dipping into the pool on a hot day or going to the beach in the evenings or weekends definitely take me to my happy place.

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