I can’t take credit for the thought, though truthfully I don’t remember where I heard the idea from first. Someone once told me, if ever you or your child is having a bad day and experiencing emotions that are pulling you down, just add water.
This has long since resonated with me. I loved the idea from the moment I heard it. When my kids are having a rough day, when we’ve logged too many hours on the TV, had one too many tantrums, or I just can’t figure out how to pull them out of a funk, I add water.
A good middle-of-the-day bath usually does the trick to mix things up. We add fun toys like legos or glow sticks. I even let them munch on popsicles sometimes, which means no sticky fingers to worry about. Or we take the fun outside with the classic sprinkler under the trampoline trick or the slide leading into the kiddie pool. Those never seem to fail me.
The options really seem unlimited. There are slip ‘n slides, water fights, splash pads, pool days, and lake days. Even throwing rocks into the river, or playing with the garden hose brightens my kids’ day. Sometimes, it's just a big drink of water that solves all our problems.
When it comes to me, I’m really not much different than my kids. I love nothing more than a nice bath or hot shower after a long day. When I need a break, a day at the pool or the lake always puts a smile on my face. Nothing restores my faith in my children like watching them run through the hose or play with friends at the splash pad. And when I’ve had one too many Diet Cokes for the day, a glass of water does wonders for my tired body.
