Parenting the Child Within

“Treat a child as though he already is the person he’s capable of becoming.”  – Haim Ginott

I saw this quote recently underneath a framed Norman Rockwell picture of a young boy who has left home and is in a diner with a state trooper at the counter. Titled The Runaway” it is a quintessential depiction of small-town America and freezes in time a tableau with the officer having a conversation with the erstwhile child engaged in a dialogue, not an interrogation. In essence the young boy is treated as an adult. His inevitable return home in this scene retains the possibility of choice and growth, not crime and punishment. 

The CenterPoint affirmation for this week is: “Look deeply into the eyes of an aged friend and you can see the essence of youthful Joy. Peer equally into the eyes of a newborn and you will see the Wisdom of the Ages.” I have witnessed this two-fold truth many times in my own life…from visiting aged relatives in nursing homes, to being present at a number of births. I recently saw a picture of a very newborn soul, and the look was most serious, as if a truly wise old soul once again found themselves on planet Earth. We may be “coming to earth trailing clouds of glory” in the words of William Wordsworth, and we bring much wisdom with it as well. Perhaps the single greatest untapped resource in this realm is that glory, that wisdom, that love. 

This light is rarely entirely extinguished, but it often needs rekindling. What can we do, in a practical way, to support this return to our true nature? Serious questions like these require serious contemplation and solutions, correct. WRONG! Nothing could be further from the Truth. In fact, lightness brings lightness. Touches of whimsy, splashes of the silly do wonders to perk up the old recipes of our over-ordered and over-controlled lives. Just as all creation moves to the Light- plants, animals etc., so to can we grow if we allow the Light in. Plato refers to it in his Myth of the Cave where all the denizens are locked away in a cell with no locks, afraid to move toward the Light. Again, the question remains, what to do, and how to proceed.

One good hint is to watch old children at play. Children need guidance and rules, but the real joy and growth begins when they are allowed the freedom to try, the room to experiment. The best techniques for the young are equally applicable to the young-at-heart. 

Let’s explore the “Joy of Silly”:

Why Being Silly Matters

• Reduces Stress: Laughing lowers stress hormones like cortisol and releases feel-good endorphins. 
• Builds Bonds: Playfulness breaks down social barriers and helps people feel closer. 
• Boosts Creativity: Letting go of judgment lets your brain think outside the box and solve problems in fresh ways. 

Simple Ways to Be Silly Today

• Change Your Routine: Eat dessert first or wear mismatched socks just for fun. 
• Play with Words: Use funny, made-up words or tell a goofy knock-knock joke.  
• Move Your Body: Dance around the room when your favorite song comes on. 
• Do a Routine Backwards: Put your clothes on inside out and walk backwards and do the task with your non-dominant hand. (Try it with something safe- like changing pillowcases or watering your plants). 

The important cornerstone of CenterPoint, and the HeartMind teaching is the integration of our thoughts and our feelings. So, when you are in your “silly”, take both a mental note of the circumstances, as well as tuning into your heart as to how it feels. Both practices help anchor this important resource (of “Silly”) in your life. Children do it naturally…we often forget. Being silly does open the neural and physiological channels for great receptivity to Truth, Love, and Creativity. 

Keep a special Journal for Silly or at least include it in your spiritual toolbox as part of what helps relax you. A relaxed HeartMind is an effective HeartMind. Take notes as to the afterglow and aftereffects when you practice Silly. Particularly focus on how good it feels and perhaps where in your body it is most comfortable, and at-home. Then, as you continue this practice, take special note of where you are resistant- where are you triggered as you practice this process. These “tender spots” can be areas of great growth, if you have the proper guidance. Imagine yourself as a child, and ask yourself: “What would support this wondrous Child of the Divine to be more playful, more soulful?” Take 2 Silly exercises and call me in the morning…You know this prescription is working when you feel Joy return to your heart. Be grateful. Repeat this process. You will find the doorway to Joy leads to Love…and then to the doorway of Peace.

Finally, when you become comfortable with this technique, begin to explore it with friends. Silly is a recipe best shared with others. Group Silly can be a most wonderful space…a place where we can truly “be”… a place where we can finally have true friends and have true relationships. These relationships are born of the Idea that we are ALL Divine Expressions of Unconditional Love. Invite a friend or two to try an exercise.