There's This Thing...

...that we do as parents. We love to cheer our kids up. We love to suprise them, make them happy. We tickle them, we hug them, we compliment them, cheer them on, point out the silver lining, the bright side, the up side, the sun coming out tomorrow.

"You can do it!"

So with my kids, we have an arrangement. I will ask them, "Guess what?" and when they say, "What?" I say, "I love you!" Sometimes, they stretch out the pause before they say, "What?" but I am very patient, and very persistant. What's more annoying than a 4-year old asking, "Why?" over and over? Your Dad asking, "Guess what?" over and over. And over.

Sometimes, occasionally (usually when my wife, isn't listening), I'll mix it up with a "Chicken Butt!" answer. But the kids know the drill. I love them, and like to tell them.

Now, if they are super grumpy, and they test me, refusing to answer, refusing to make eye contact, I will envelope them in a big hug, and ask, "On a scale of 1-10, how happy are you?" Kids, ever given to their dramatic flair, insist they are only feeling zero, or maybe one. So I insist that I must hug them, with big Daddy squeezy hugs until they are happier. Often with sound effects, like how Nacho Libre signs off his letters.

Hug! Hug!

Leetle Hug!

Squeeze!

Beeg Hug!

"Now how happy are you?" Continue until their number goes up, or they laugh. Note, though; teenagers are very protective of their angst, and will refuse to admit they are happier, even once they are struggling not to laugh.

So a few weeks ago, my youngest was sad about something. I asked him, "Hey! Guess what?"

Sullenly, without meeting my eyes, he said, "What!?"

"I love you!"

He gave the best exasperated shrug. "That's not news!"

Hee!

Squeeze your kids today.