Be the Silliest Grownup in the Room

Drop the Cool Act. Play.

“It is a happy talent to know how to play.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

There’s always one grownup who’s too cool to dance.
Don’t be that guy.

Be the dad in the cape. The dad with the flashlight under his chin. The dad turning the living room into a lava field while yelling, “NO FEET ON THE FLOOR!”
Because your kids don’t need a slick, serious man.
They need a permission slip to be ridiculous.

That permission slip is you.

You want connection? You want trust? You want your kid to call you when they’re in real trouble one day? Then start by getting down on all fours and crawling through a blanket fort like it’s the Normandy invasion. (And yes, Build the Fort. Always. still applies here.)

Product Recommendation for Further Reading

If you want to dive deeper into play-based parenting, check out Playful Parenting: An Exciting New Approach. This is a top-rated guide that blends humor, research, and real-life stories to help you connect through play.

You don’t have to be the funniest. You don’t have to juggle or tell perfect knock-knock jokes. You just have to be willing to look stupid in the name of joy.

And guess what?

You’ll laugh. You’ll forget about your inbox. You’ll sweat from nerf battles. You’ll rediscover something buried deep under deadlines and to-do lists: fun. Real fun.

The kind you had before you thought “maturity” meant never letting your socks get wet.

We’re not talking about being irresponsible. You can pay your mortgage and be a ninja. You can lead your family and be a goofball.

Because silliness is strength. It tells your kids, “Life doesn’t have to be so heavy.” It teaches them resilience. Optimism. Imagination. And when they grow up, they’ll know how to chase joy even when the world says, “Act your age.”

So next time you’re tempted to sit out the dance party… don’t.
Next time they ask you to play tag… say yes.
Next time your brain says, “You look ridiculous”… shout back, “Good!”

Be the silliest grownup in the room. They’ll never forget it.
And neither will you.